Gabriella's Rules
by Angkeats
Summary: Gabriella Montez of West High cheerleading squad has a legendary boy-ban and a personal rule not to fall in love...Until she meets Troy Bolton, the captain of East High basketball team during her favourite past time- skating.
1. Chapter 1

**So here it is, inspired by Whirlergirl's WhiteBoy (which you MUST read) this is my next Troyella story.**

**Do review if you like it so I know to keep posting ;)**

**CHAPTER 1**

The rules were easy.

1. Don't fall in love.

2. Don't fall in love.

Gabi knew that as soon as emotions were brought into it, concentration waned and focus blurred.

Winning meant everything. And her squad knew that. Winning went beyond anything tangible, beyond the awards and the kudos and the status they achieved in school.

Winning meant life could go back to normal for the summer. Parties could be enjoyed, work could be forgotten and boys could even be dated.

But before summer, anything outside of cheerleading did not exist. Especially boys.

Why then did fate bring her to the skate park on this dark, dry evening when there was no-one else in sight? No-one except a hooded boy with bright blue eyes.

Who'd just watched her skating her ass off for the past ten minutes and only now, had suddenly decided to reveal himself from the shadow in which he was hidden.

"Perving much?" She threw at the lone male, taking to a pole and swinging round it with ease.

He got up and brought out a board, hidden underneath him previously. He put it down, stepping onto the platform and pushing off with one toe of his converse, just enough leverage to bring him near to her.

"Just wanted to see what you could do." He said gently.

"Why?" She asked, her dark eyes sceptical. Her hair was drawn into a high ponytail, the black curliness water falling down her back.

He let his eyes roll down her body. Her upper half had on some kind of comic book t-shirt- he couldn't quite make out if it was superman or super girl.

But she had on these tiny black shorts that barely covered her legs and that's where his gaze rested, on her curvy thighs, her petite height boosted by the roller-boots on her feet.

That surprised him, too. Everyone who was anyone had inlines now. He smiled at her nod to the retro.

"I heard a lot about you." He answered.

She met his gaze fully now, ceasing her pole spins.

Gabi was taken in by the blueness of his eyes as she considered the stranger before her. Who was he and what did he want?

"Who are you?" She asked carefully, squinting.

When he stepped from his board and into the light, her question was answered.

The badge emblazoned on his hoodie was one she could recognise from a mile off. East High Wildcats.

"You know what, never mind…" She said quickly on seeing the emblem, turning to skate away.

How dare he approach her? And talk to her? Was he crazy?! Everyone knew that East High and West High did not mix. It didn't even take a genius to work it out. After moving here in the summer, she had learnt that lesson pretty quickly.

"You're not even gonna hear me out...?" He laughed as he pursued her on his skateboard.

"You're hiding under a hood for a reason. You know that if you get seen here that all hell will break loose. Next time, don't talk to me." She suggested.

"You're the best skater I've seen." He complimented and she frowned confusedly.

She turned to face him sharply, causing him to jump from his board to prevent an accident.

"How many times have you watched me?" She almost accused.

He shrugged, flipping his hood down, showcasing a grey beanie that accentuated his bright blue eyes.

"A few." He admitted.

"Dare I ask why, Wildcat?" She asked, referring to his team name, almost accusingly.

His eyes lifted, showing barely held tolerance.

"If you don't want to know me because I'm an asshole, then fine. Just don't judge me for that." He pointed to his team logo.

She placed her hands on her hips, cocking her head. Her hair swung behind her.

"Fine, don't get your boxers in a twist." She said.

"I'm making a routine for a competition, but it would be so much better as a duet. With a girl. You're the only one who is good enough…" He began.

Her mouth opened in shock-come-disgust.

"You want me to dance? With you?" She asked; hand on hip, attitude evident in her tone.

"No. I want you to skate with me. It's a skating competition." He explained.

His hands were in his pockets, his shoulders hunched. If she didn't know better, she thought he looked like he was completely uncomfortable. But she did know better. She knew who he was now, even if it hadn't been immediately obvious.

And the captain of the Wildcats basketball team was not someone she could be seen with- let alone dance with- on skates or not.

But he obviously knew she was the best choreographer around. And maybe he was trying to steal some of her moves for his own cheer team. It wouldn't surprise her. East High hadn't won a Cheer-Off in a long time.

"Troy Bolton, right?" She asked and he closed his eyes, clenching his teeth at her tone, knowing she was about to kick it to him.

"Right." He ground out.

"I've heard all about you, too." She said back, knowing what her friends had told her about this particular boy. Not much of which was very positive.

"And how much of what they say about you is true, Gabi?" He asked in a smart-ass fashion, his ice-blue eyes challenging hers as he used her name.

He knew what they said about her at school and he knew better than to judge a person on rumours. Her dancing within the cheer team was legendary, along with her frosty attitude. But the rumours were harsh. They claimed she was a lesbian because she was renowned for her lack of interest in the opposite sex. Right now he didn't care about that, he just needed the money he could win from the skate competition to fund him through dance school in the summer. Dance school that his dad refused to pay for him to go to.

"I have to get home." She answered, unable to argue with him.

She felt his sigh run through her body as she skated off, actually finding herself thinking about his offer, intrigued about this competition and determined to find out more.

--

The burn she felt in her muscles was addictive. Gabi flung her small body around the gym floor with ease, her squad moving with absolute precision alongside her.

The Game was on Friday and they were hosting the Wildcats which meant their routine had to be spot-on, perfect.

As she slid into a split, her lungs heaving, her skin moist with sweat, she felt the familiar buzz run around her body. She looked good and she knew her flexibility had every guy in the room standing to attention. She felt warm fingers of confidence wrap around her body as she uncurled from the position, knowing not one of them would be allowed to touch her even though they would like to.

She liked this little game she played. She could be as sexy as she liked out there on the floor, but when it came to dating, she kept boys at arm's length and they only got to enjoy her body from a distance.

It's not that she didn't enjoy making out. Before she had come to East High, she had successfully made out with Brody Jenner from the basketball team. But eventually dating him had ruined her shot at winning the Cheer title she so desperately wanted.

And when they had moved to Albuquerque in the summer, she had decided not to let anything stand in her way this time. Boys could wait. She had a goal and she would do anything to achieve it.

Aidan's hot gaze toward her told her he had other ideas. He jogged across the room from basketball practice and stood before her.

"Hey," he said as he wiped sweat from his face.

"Hey." She returned, stretching out.

"The guys are hanging out after practice, wanna come?" He asked.

"Ooh let me think…" She lifted her eyes sarcastically. "Erm, no."

Aidan's short blonde hair was darkened by the sweat from practice, his hazel eyes squinting at her.

"Come on, it'll be fun." He encouraged and she knew it most likely wouldn't be fun but she also knew that to get on the wrong side of the team could make for an uncomfortable year. She'd only been there a few months and she had hardly any friendships to boast of, it wouldn't hurt to show willingness when a social activity was offered.

"Sure, okay. Meet you outside." She said with a straight face, giving nothing away.

His grin told her she was walking a fine line between being social and letting herself in for something she didn't really want.

She took a breath, knowing she could handle herself if he tried anything on. It might actually be fun to find out what the basketball team really thought, she mused to herself as she finished her warm-down and commended her squad for today's practice.

---

Gabi shook her ass like only she knew how. Her jeans were riding low on her hips, showing off her hip bones and hinting at the soft skin of her lower belly.

Her belly piercing was on show and her racer back vest was riding up her sweaty skin, crawling with each lift of her arms above her head as she twisted and curled to the beat of the music. The inward curve of her waist was deep, creating even more definition to her large hips and backside.

The smile on her face was one of knowing confidence. She dipped and arched her body to accentuate her curves, knowing she had an audience and that she was attractive to the opposite sex.

She lifted her long, dark, curly hair up out of the way, the strands frizzing with her sweatiness. Her body rolled out of her own control now as the sound of the music filled her and ruled her.

It took her a minute to realise that she wasn't alone. A pair of hands were resting on her hips and a body pressed up against her back, gyrating crudely into her generous backside.

She swirled, pushing against them, realising it was Aidan. He had been sitting watching her along with some of the other players and now it seemed he wanted to take part.

She was a little annoyed at the interruption from her mind-consuming hobby and even more annoyed at him for pawing her like she was anyone's to be taken.

Gabi Montez was far more selective than that.

"Hey, you shook it…" He grinned unapologetically.

"Don't mean you gotta touch it." She replied hotly, picking at the hem of her vest to tug it back down, tying her hair into a messy ponytail.

"Psssh, yeah whatever." He discarded. "You were begging for it…" He jeered as he sauntered off and took the boys with him.

It left Gabi alone, her phone playing the music out still as she realised she didn't have anyone else to ruin it for her.

Slowly, she began to wind her body again, closing her eyes as the beat ruled her once more.

"That is surely the hottest ass I have seen on a girl." A warm voice announced and Gabi opened her eyes to it, recognising Troy straight away.

"As long as you don't touch, we'll be good, Bolton." She warned, surprisingly not annoyed at being interrupted this time. Strangely, she was intrigued by his appearance.

Maybe it was his outright courage to stalk her on the West side of town. Or maybe she was actually interested in the competition he had spoken of. Either way, she had to find out his motives for asking her before she let down her guard.

He folded his arms as he appreciated the view and she found herself answering his clinging gaze, dancing for him now, rather than just to him.

A wiggle of her hips in slow, controlled rhythm had his blue eyes darkening and his mouth pursing. He licked his lips and she traced the action, running her hands down her own body to add to the sensuality of her moves.

"Join in, Troyby." She teased with a tiny brow flick.

"Yeah, sure." He spat back drily. Gabi flicked her gaze down his body. He was wearing blue jeans with a white t-shirt and his favoured converse boots.

"Yeah, sure." She approved with a smile, holding her hand out as she rolled her hips temptingly.

"You just shot that guy down for coming near you." He argued with his own eyebrow lift, the thick, manly shape of them mesmerising her.

His hair was long and almost curly, flicking over his eye in a shaggy fringe. No beanie today to tidy it back.

"Stop talking." She said, jigging her hand to show she was waiting for him to take it.

Slowly; his eyes connected with hers the whole time, he took his hands from his pockets and took the one of hers she proffered.

Awkward, shy and so turned on by the curvy girl twisting before him, he tried to follow her fluid movements and failed miserably, finding her gaze wasn't mocking as he expected when she flicked her long, feline eyes upwards.

"What is that, Troy?" She asked warmly.

"Dancing?" He shrugged.

"And you think you're going to win a competition?" She wondered.

She sighed as he looked distraught at her words.

"Okay…" She said determinedly. "Just…" She grabbed his hands and paused, wondering what to do with him.

He giggled at her and his own patheticness. But he stopped laughing when his hands were placed on her hips, the soft curve of them comfortable and the warmth radiating from her skin.

"Just move with me." She suggested lightly, oblivious to his attraction.

Close to Troy now, Gabi was actually enjoying this. His face was set with concentration as he tried to move to the music and she shook her hips every now and then to tease him.

"See, it's not so hard…" She smiled, lifting her arms above her head and his eyes trailed up her body, landing on her face.

"Aidan ought to be drop-kicked…" He murmured, his thumbs reaching out to brush the bare skin of her waist. His hips were looser now; he was relaxing into the music.

"Why?" She wondered, lifting her hair to air her neck, the music changing to a funkier beat.

He wasn't expecting her dance to get any sexier but she writhed into his lap, testing his control.

"He had no right to just grab you like that…" He said softly, his hands itching to cover her tiny body even as he said the words.

Her brown eyes met his and her hands lowered from her neck and across to his shoulders.

"I'm very fussy about who gets to touch me." She supplied teasingly.

He looked at her, bemused.

"You barely know me." He argued, squinting.

"You didn't grab my ass though did you?" She pointed out, brushing her groin against his and he couldn't help himself. His hands ran around her hips to take her backside then, going against everything she had just said.

"Oops." He husked, her fingers driving into his hair at his neck.

She felt his heat, the hardness of his arousal and though they barely knew one another, she loved the feel of his large, possessive hands scooping her ass into his body.

"It's different when you do it." She frowned, almost to herself. "Huh, how is that?" She wondered out loud.

He shrugged, so desperate to kiss her now.

"You like me?" He guessed wildly.

She smiled, taking a moment to study him intently as the song ended.

"Great dance, Troy. Call me." She said coolly, tucking a piece of paper into his back pocket before stepping back and grabbing her phone.

"Gabi, wait..!" He called, watching her retreat into the dark. "Let me walk you…" He suggested.

"I'm safer than you, Bolton." She pointed out, knowing what he was really asking her.

She merely smiled, blowing him a kiss and running off with a giggle.

He looked to the sky. Could anyone tell him what in the heck had just happened?

--

The beat of the ball against the court was a satisfying sound to Troy. It was a regular sound, one that would only be interrupted when he made his next move.

The court was long and the run down was quick and successful as he passed the ball to Jason who passed it back at just the right moment, cutting out Chad who was playing for the other team during practice.

Troy's hands caught the ball and he launched himself at the basket, meeting the goal easily, pumping his hand into a fist to show his satisfaction at having won.

He only ever got a buzz like that from basketball. And if he could admit it to himself, when he was dancing around his room at night, trying to gain the kind of grace he could only dream of.

The kind of grace Gabi Montez possessed without even trying.

Even when he closed his eyes he could still feel her hot, curvy body rubbing against his in such a suggestive manner that he'd found his wet dreams had a life of their own now.

How in the hell he'd been lucky enough to have Gabi Montez let him dance with her was beyond him. But he knew he had to pass some kind of test, that much was obvious. She'd told him not to touch her and he hadn't and then she had done something he hadn't expected- she had let him.

Maybe she just needed a little longer to come round to his idea for the skate comp. And he knew the risk was huge. God, if he was found talking to her, things could get ugly. But he was prepared to take that risk, knowing she was the person that could win the competition. Together they could do this.

"Yo, earth to Bolton!" Chad called him out of his thoughts.

"I'm listenin'." Troy assured with a frown.

"Don't go all moody on me." Chad complained. "I was just saying we should go out after the game- maybe check out some of those East Side hotties." He grinned.

Troy closed his eyes. The last thing he needed was to get into any more fights.

"You don't think you checked them out enough last time?" He wondered, actually disappointed that his friend found his little game funny.

"That was last season…they didn't have Gabriella Montez heading up the cheer team then." Chad grinned and the boys huddled round them as they walked off the court for showers, all making agreeable noises.

"She won't let you near her, I can promise that." Troy answered confidently, actually feeling a little bit of pride at Gabi's self confidence.

"She's not met me yet. Once I've…persuaded her to my way of thinking, her boy-ban will be over, for sure." Chad stated confidently, earning him crows from the rest of the team.

Troy felt a little bit nervous at his suggestion. He couldn't drop out of the team activity, it just wasn't done. But he didn't want to take part, either. Maybe by being there he could make sure nothing really bad happened.

"Just win the game, 'cats. The rest can wait." Troy warned.

"I'm gonna win me a pair of Montez panties." Chad jeered as he bounded off into the shower, leaving Troy dreading the game on Friday night.

---


	2. Chapter 2

**Kessy- um yeah what is with that lol. Silly Ang :/**

**Thanks for the reviews everyone, keep 'em coming ;)**

**CHAPTER 2**

"Meet me tonight?" Troy texted into his phone, pressing send.

A bleep told him he had an answer.

"By the rail tracks. I'll be there in ten. Don't be late." Gabi replied and he sat up in shock.

Ten minutes? Damn, he better move. He grabbed his board and thundered down the stairs, jumping the last three steps and not stopping before he flew out the door and stepped onto his board, gliding down the sidewalk toward their agreed meeting place.

It was getting dark and he wondered why she picked the worst part of town to meet him. That thought was accentuated when he saw what she was wearing.

A soft denim playsuit with the shortest shorts covered her small body, unpoppered at the top to show off her small cleavage, she had large hoops in her ears and her hair was loose and curly all down her body.

"You really shouldn't wander around at night dressed like that." He aired his thoughts, taking off his hoodie as he approached her. She was leaning so becomingly against an old carriage, like she was just inviting any advances toward her.

But he knew better than that. He had seen her in action, first hand, spurning Aidan away.

Why was she teasing him like this? He wondered as he tried to wrap the jacket around her and she just rolled her eyes at him.

"Why not?" She challenged to his question, taking the jacket even though she didn't let him cover her with it.

"You look hot." He said starkly, not afraid to say it.

"All I care about is cheering. Nothing else matters." She stated.

"What if some guy attacks you? Does that matter?" He asked as she began walking and he followed her ass as it wiggled from side to side. Her gladiator sandals were adding a certain womanly curve to her legs.

"Oh, alright, dad." She sighed, sticking her arms into his sweat jacket and pulling it around her. "How's this? Ugly enough?" She enquired.

She was balancing on an unused track, placing one foot in front of the other as she concentrated hard, her tongue poking out between her lips, the ones he wanted to kiss.

"I don't think you could look ugly if you tried." He mused, unintentionally complimenting her.

"What do you want with me, Troy Bolton?" she wondered, turning as he trailed after her. His sweats reminded her sharply that he was a basketball hero at East High. She could almost forget that when he was wearing jeans and cruising on his board.

"Here, I have the flyer…" He said and went into his trouser pocket for the folded piece of paper, surprised when Gabi's hand joined his in there.

She had come right up to him and driven her fingers into his pocket with a sly smile.

"Ooh let me see!" She enthused, taking the paper from him and unfolding it with unhidden excitement, her eyes gleaming as she read the leaflet.

"This sounds amazing." She admitted.

"I know." He said quietly.

"But you've seen me skate and I have no idea what you can do on a pair of wheels." She pointed out.

"You're thinking about this, then?" He asked nervously.

"If you can convince me this isn't some ridiculous attempt to either steal moves for your squad or get me into bed, then yeah, maybe I am." She allowed, knowing she had no real reason to distrust him.

He sighed, knocking his head back. "I see the rumours about me are the same, then."

She pursed her lips. "You're a woman's dream, Troy. Don't'cha know anything?" She teased, twisting and dancing across the lines toward an empty train shed.

"Hey…I'm not like that you know…" He called, sighing as he had to follow her to get her to listen. She wouldn't stand still for one goddamn minute.

"You're not amazing in bed?" She asked, disappointed.

She waited for his answer with an innocent smile.

"I wouldn't actually know, would I?" He asked shyly.

"Well the girls you've been with obviously do. And they gave you a good review…" She offered as she pressed her lips together and slid through a small gap into the space inside.

"I don't know how they can…" He managed to force out as he too climbed through with a struggle. "Seeing as I never slept with any of them." He finished and sucked in a breath, realising it was pretty dark inside the shed but the perfect space for them to practice. The floor was concrete, smooth and large. They'd have to practice jumps and drops somewhere else but this would be a great start.

"Then who did you sleep with because they sure have a big mouth?" She asked, feeling his chest against her shoulder where he stood behind her.

"No-one." He answered.

She tilted her head toward him, barely able to make him out.

"Oh, sure." She berated quickly.

"It's true. I'm…I'm a virgin." He admitted.

Somehow she knew he was telling the truth. And somewhere deep inside, she wanted to be his first. She frowned at the thought, wondering why she had never had this urge with any of the boy at her own school. Someone nice and safe and one of her 'own kind'.

An image of Aidan popped into her mind, his clammy hands grabbing at her. There wasn't really much chance of him making her feel like having sex with him.

Yet Troy's silent appreciation, his gentle touches when they had danced, his vocalized attraction to her, all added up to a feeling growing in the pit of her tummy.

One she had sworn she would never have to deal with. Sex just wasn't an option for her. Sex came hand in hand with love. And love wasn't allowed during the basketball season. Last time she checked, it wasn't summer break.

A little shiver ran down her as the night air wrapped around her. A pair of warm hands encased her upper arms.

"I mean it, Troy. I have to be able to trust you." She warned, climbing back out of the shed and letting him follow as they left the old station behind.

"How am I meant to do that?" He asked. "Please don't ask me to throw a game…" He begged.

"It's not about the basketball." She snapped her head up. "I'd never ask you to do that." She frowned.

"Okay, I'm sorry…" He offered, seeing some of the East High class crowding in the distance as they laughed and made their way home from the cinema at the centre of town.

He had to go a different way to her from here to get home, but he continued with her.

"Troy, go home now." She said softly, stopping in the shadows.

"I'm walking you home." He objected.

"You don't need to." She assured him.

"Apparently, I do. Apparently I need to prove myself." He launched back.

"By risking death?" She joked.

"I don't like the thought of Aidan hiding in the shadows…" He admitted.

She had to smile at his very blatant possessiveness despite their non-existent status.

"I'll kick him in the nuts if he touches me." She said flatly.

He was hovering, hands tucked in pockets as she watched him.

"I don't know what else I can do…" He said desperately. He wanted so badly for her to work with him and he was willing to do anything- even throw a game if he had to. But she had passed his own little test by saying she would never ask him to do that. That made her different to at least five other manipulative girls he had dated.

"Just…just keep being you." She said gently, her bold brashness dipping for a few seconds to reveal a softer Gabi, one he had never seen before.

She turned to go again and he bit his lip, sighing.

"Gabi…" He called softly, opening his eyes, seeing her tiny figure encased in the dark.

"Yes, Troyby?" She asked expectantly.

"Be careful…On Friday, after the game. Just promise me you won't go home alone." He asked, feeling his tummy tighten with fear at her next words.

She seemed to understand though because her dark eyes widened with the knowledge of what he was telling her.

"I promise." Was all she said as she vanished into the dark.

He still didn't know if she was agreeing to his offer or not. But she was beginning to trust him and he had to do everything in his power to make sure he didn't ruin that. Gabriella Montez just might be his ticket to freedom and she didn't even know it yet.

---

The gymnasium was packed to the brim. The noise level was breaking sound barriers. The air was thick with anticipation, not only for the game, but for what would happen afterwards.

East High Wildcats and West High Bears had yet to complete a game without a fight of some description breaking out.

Gabi high kicked her legs as she rallied the crowd and in the distance, she was all too aware of a certain Wildcat, warming up with his team mates.

The spotlight hit the centre of the floor and the narrator took a microphone and began to introduce the teams and the cheer squads. Any minute now she would be up there strutting her stuff.

The spotlight was addictive, just like the muscle burn in her body as she performed to the crowd, her own movements exact to the beat of the music, her squad following suit.

The final split announced the end of the routine and a few wolf-whistles rounded the hall, making her smile in appreciation.

She jogged off the centre spot after her team, finding a hand going around her wrist as she went to disappear into the changing rooms before the game started.

"Nice ass." The voice announced and she turned, frowning.

It was pretty much what Troy had said to her the night he'd found her dancing but somehow, his words were more complimentary than the black boy's.

She wrenched her wrist from his grip.

"But not yours to comment on." She lifted a brow.

"Not yet. I could get you in a heartbeat." Chad stated confidently.

Gabi laughed at this. "You surely are kidding me." She offered to his stare.

"We'll see, Montez. When you're screaming my name, you'll be taking that back." He promised.

"I'm not even gonna remember your name, let alone scream it." She returned in disgust, turning to go.

"Don't bet on it!" Chad called after her.

Troy jogged over, turning his friend by the shoulder.

"What are you doing?" He asked, just as Aidan crashed over to them, pushing Chad to the floor.

"Don't you dare speak to our squad, Danforth." Aidan threatened.

Chad merely chuckled and stood up. "Or what, Gregory?" Chad asked back.

"She's mine, alright?" He announced, causing Troy to look at Aidan now.

"I don't think so. Someone told me she only likes girls." Chad riled.

"Oh she likes men alright, only real ones. Ones with a big dick." He announced crudely.

Troy felt his anger rise at Aldan's words but knew he had to stay calm. They were just words. Gabriella was her own person and it wasn't up to him who she chose to sleep with or date. He couldn't help the little flicker of jealousy that ran through him at the thought she had slept with Aidan, though.

"Let's go, Chad." He said quietly to his buddy.

Chad looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yeah, run along now, little boy. Just like Toy here told ya." Aidan gloated and Troy ignored the dig at his name, taking a breath and blocking Chad from fronting up to Aidan.

"Gonna get you out there." Chad warned through clenched teeth, pointing to the floor of the gymnasium as he backed up, Troy following him with a relieved sigh.

"What the fuck, you're gonna let him stand there and talk to us like that, man?" Chad asked him as they made their way to the bench, stripping off their warm-up gear.

"I told you, win it out there first." Troy repeated.

Chad nodded slowly.

"Okay, sure thing, Captain." He agreed as the team assembled for their pre-game words.

Game underway, cheerleaders at each side of the floor, Gabi silently worried about what had gone on between Aidan and the East High boys. She had heard voices, she had even heard Aidan claim she liked big dicks, but she hadn't heard much of what was said in return.

Bending over to shake her pom-poms low by her ankles, before slowly bringing them up her body, she was startled to feel a cheeky pinch of her butt and whipped round to find Aidan grinning like an ape at her.

Great, that was all she needed. Along with Troy's subtle suggestion that she needed to watch her back for East High boys, she now had to fend off Aidan as well.

As much a she loved using her body as a tool to both attract boys and to tease them, she now felt like her little game was becoming far to dangerous to play.

It was only fun if the person she was teasing could be trusted and Aidan was definitely not one of them. Neither was Chad if his innuendo was anything to go by. He had practically told her he was going to bed her whether she like it or not.

The thought ran a trickle of fear down her spine. If there was one thing she couldn't bear, it was being forced. She'd had enough of that where she had come from and she didn't need any more, thank you.

She may have lost her virginity before she came to Albuquerque but she was determined not to take that step again until she was ready. Until she was in love. Which wouldn't be for some time yet, as her rules stated.

"Go Bears!" She called as Aidan hit a basket and he swept down the court line toward her but she jumped out of the way before he could take another grope at her and she smiled to herself at his shocked look.

He came back toward her, angry. "Hey, you're a bear, remember. You belong to me." He stated possessively.

"Uh, no. I don't belong to anyone." She returned.

"You want that Wildcat to be all over you?" He jerked his head to Chad and she caught sight of Troy, subtly eyeing her to make sure she was ok.

"I don't want you all over me or him all over me, thank you very much." She pointed out. "There are fourteen of us here, go pick some other unsuspecting female." She suggested, placing her hands on her hips.

Aidan licked his teeth and jogged off, glaring at her over his shoulder.

She kept a steady gaze back, only flicking her eyes to Troy once Aidan was back at the circle.

He squinted, a tiny sign to ask if she were okay.

"Kick some Wildcat butt!" She yelled, showing she were fine. More than fine. She didn't need any egotistical basketball player to fight her battles and claim her like she was some pathetic girl.

--

Taking heed of Troy's suggestion, Gabi dressed in her sweat pants and hoodie, covering her skin where she would normally bare it.

She waited for Taylor at her locker, smiling when she saw her friend approach shyly.

"Hey, girl." Gabi greeted warmly.

"Hey, Gabi." Taylor smiled back. "I'm glad you called me. It seems like ages since we had a proper girly talk." Taylor commented.

"I know." Gabi looked down at her toes. "I'm sorry I've been a crap friend."

"Hey, you've had cheer practice. I know how important it is to you." Taylor's dark eyes shone with understanding.

"Did you see those boys acting all like cavemen earlier? Ugh." Gabi rolled her eyes.

"You don't know how beautiful you are, Gabi. All the boys are fighting over you." Taylor pointed out.

"For my beauty?" She wondered. "All any one of them ever said to me was that I had a nice ass. I don't see how my face came into any of that. All they want is to bed me." She tutted sceptically.

Even the Wildcat, she added silently.

"You are amazing, Gabi. I'm glad you're taking your time to choose, though." Taylor smiled as they walked side by side in the dark, cold air.

"I'm not choosing any of them." He curled her lip to punctuate her disgust.

"Oh." Taylor was confused Gabi could tell, but she had a lot riding on her cheer season.

"No boys, remember? My motto." She added.

"Oh, sure." Taylor smiled wanly.

"What about men?" Chad asked from behind them and Gabi sighed.

"Let me know when I see one." She returned without even looking at him.

So Troy's warning had been right. Had he known about this all along? She turned then, wondering if he was there but he wasn't. Just Chad.

"Oh but Aidan was very particular about your requirements…that you like a well-endowed man." Chad grinned, clutching at his crotch.

She allowed her gaze to drop there, then lift back to his face.

"That's not gonna be you then is it, Chad?" She asked sweetly, taking Taylor's arm and continuing toward her house.

"Hey…" He called and caught them up, taking her arm in a vicious grip, his face coming close to hers. "Don't insult me and walk off…" He warned.

"Get the fuck off me." She warned very precisely.

"Or what?" He laughed.

"Or this." She said and swiftly brought her knee up, grabbing Taylor's hand and running for her house, not looking back as she heard Chad groaning.

She had never been so pleased to see her porch before.

"Oh my god, Gabi!" Taylor said between hitched, strained breaths.

"I know, I'm sorry, Tay." She panted back.

"I'm gonna walk with you every night." Taylor promised.

"No. I should never have put you in danger." Gabi swore. "I'll find another way home." She promised, her mind a blank as to how she was going to avoid the ever increasing pressure of East High versus West High.

She dropped her head into her hands as she realised there was no way out of this. She'd have to fight her way through, like usual.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for the reviews! I love hearing your ideas and funny comments :)**

**CHAPTER 3**

"You're going to have to start at the basics." Gabi instructed unnecessarily as she stood before Troy, their practice space open to them both.

"Are you okay?" He asked again and she closed her eyes, sighing.

"Did you not ask me that three times already?" she shot back.

"And did you not change the subject three times?" He back handed.

"I don't see what possible relevance it could hold on us practising." She argued.

He had thought her cheerleading outfit was the most revealing thing he had seen her in until today. Short, soft, athletic style cheer shorts just about covered her bottom. A matching grey, soft, t-back vest clung to her boobs and skimmed her shorts waistband, affording him with a glimpse of heaven every time she lifted her hands to her head. Which was often, because her messy bun kept escaping.

"Because if you're not okay, I need to know why and then I can go and kick some ass until you are okay." He offered.

She giggled.

"You sound like my boyfriend or something." She accused.

"Tell me Chad didn't hurt you, please." He begged.

She dropped her gaze and he knew she was hiding something.

"What did he do?" He demanded, his voice dropping to a serious tone.

Her eyes lifted to his and the deep chocolate brown drowned him.

"He just said some stuff…" She discarded.

"What stuff?" He pushed.

She shrugged. "That Aidan said…" She stopped, flushing. "Troy, this is really embarrassing, please don't make me repeat it." She begged.

"Tell me." He demanded again, facing her, not knowing whether to touch her or not. He guessed not, until she invited him to.

"Aidan said I like a man to be…well endowed." She rolled her eyes, avoiding eye contact. "And Chad said he could fulfil that requirement for me…" She finished, blushing hard.

Troy frowned, firstly annoyed at Aidan for ever coming out with that and secondly at Chad for using it again.

"I'm sorry." He said, surprising her.

Gabi daren't believe for one second that Troy Bolton was any different to the animals she was used to dealing with, but his words comforted her.

"I don't know why, it's not like it's you who said it." She argued.

She launched into a handstand, flipping cartwheels across the space before them.

"Because I'm friends with him and he's a total prick and I'm sorry you had to hear that." He explained, following her, hands in pockets.

She took his hands out and shook his arms gently.

"Relax, Troyby." She encouraged. "Just think about the competition."

"I can't relax when I know there's at least two assholes out there trying to persuade you to sleep with them." He countered.

"And why is that Troy? Because you want to be the third?" She challenged.

He squinted. "I want you to help with my routine, nothing more." He said, knowing he was half-lying because her small, curvy form was just begging for his hands.

"You don't want my ass?" She checked, turning, poking her backside out to accentuate her question.

"N..No." He stammered.

"You're sure about that?" She questioned, touching the ground as her knees bent and then she slowly wound her way back up, grinding her rounded backside into his groin where he scrunched his hands to stop him touching.

"What do you want me to say?" He husked as she flicked a look over her shoulder at him.

"Just admit you're like every other boy, Troyby." She shrugged.

She took his hands from his sides and teased his fingers open.

"Fine, I'm like every other boy." He gave in to her demand.

She placed his nervous hands on her hips as her back touched his chest and he noticed the stark difference in their shapes.

Where she was small and curved, he was tall and squared. She was soft and enticing, he was hard and unweilding.

It felt like her skin was burning him as he let his hands down on her and he tried to peel them away but she applied firm pressure until he curled his fingers around her hip bones.

If her rounded backside hadn't been in direct contact with his groin, he might actually have half a chance of concentrating, but the fleshy mound of her ass was distracting him.

"I'm glad we got that out of the way." She agreed lightly, and then sighed as she moved and felt his hardness rub her.

"Troy…" She led.

"Mmm?" He answered, innocently.

"You're going to have to stop having a hard-on every time you touch me if you want this to work." She pointed out and he felt his cheeks flame.

"I can't help it…" He threw back at her as she twisted and his hands slid into the small of her back.

She cocked her head. "You can't control your body?" She questioned.

"I just told you, I'm like every other boy." He defended.

"How are we going to do this?" She asked, exasperated before they'd even begun.

"Sleep together?" He joked and her wide brown eyes told him he wasn't funny.

"Just touch me." She said and he giggled nervously.

"I don't think that will help…" He offered gently.

"It will. It's just the …novelty factor" She lifted a brow. "Once you've touched me and you know it's just a body, just a curvy body, then you'll get over it. I won't turn you on anymore." She said confidently.

"Gabi…" He began, about to tell her that it didn't matter how many times he touched her 'curvy body', that he would still find her attractive.

"Shut up and do it, Bolton." She instructed and he sighed. This was going to be like agony and heaven all at the same time.

He peeked down at her, placing his hands back on her hips, watching her as she tapped her toe impatiently, pressing her lips together.

"I can't do it." He stated.

"Oh for god's sake, Troy. Most boys would not have any problem on feeling me up…" She huffed, grabbing his hands off her hips and placing them on her ass.

"No, no way…" He said, pulling his hands straight back off and twisting away.

"What's wrong?" She demanded. "That's what you wanted isn't it? My ass? Isn't that what all you boys want? Isn't that _all_ that boys want?" She ranted.

"Not like that…not without…not without you wanting it, too." He finished, sighing.

This was such a bad idea. Whatever had popped into his head the day he decided to approach Gabriella Montez for help, needed to be re-examined carefully. She was just too much to handle.

Gabi let his words trickle down her body until she felt a warmth spread over her skin. Perhaps she was being a little too presumptuous that his attraction to her physically could be easily remedied.

"Then I don't know what else to do, Troy. Because you sure as hell can't skate with a monster like that in your pants." She quipped, arching her brow toward his groin where he stood back from her now, leaning on the dusty iron of the shed.

"Wear something less sexy?" He suggested, knowing it was pointless because even if she wore a tent, he'd still find her amazingly gorgeous.

She began to giggle at him then, coming over and taking both his hands.

"Look, you'll get used to me, right? It's just the whole image that I put across that makes you want me more. Once you know me, you'll get over it. Believe me, when I start sweating, sex will be the last thing on your mind." She added.

He somehow doubted it, but as she pulled him up, he had to put some belief in what she was saying otherwise he really would be in trouble.

---

"Hey, you up for Pac Man at the Arcades later, hoops?" Chad asked Troy as they came out of class.

"Ah, I can't man. My mom's gone Robocop over my chores and I haven't done them all week." He lied, smiling at his friend as Chad nodded.

"Cannot avoid parental intervention any longer huh?" Chad teased.

"Nah, man." He chuckled.

"Look, you know that Gabriella from West High?" Chad asked and Troy stiffened.

"Yeah…" Troy agreed.

"She's a tough cookie to crack. She kicked me right in the balls, you know." Chad frowned and Troy felt like laughing out loud. Then he felt an ice cold flash run through him at the thought of why Gabi needed to kick Chad in the balls.

"Well, I did tell you, dude." Troy cocked his head to the side, smiling at the cheerleaders as they giggled down the corridor in the opposite direction.

"I think you should try." Chad suggested and Troy laughed.

"Yeah, that's funny."

"I mean it, dude. You're good looking in a pretty boy kinda way. I bet she would fall for you." Chad was on a roll now, his mind kicking up ideas as his face animated with them.

"Why would you want her to?" Troy asked, confused.

"The ultimate kick in the teeth for Aidan and his gang. East High basketball captain seduces West High Cheerleader." Chad explained.

"That's ridiculous." Troy discarded.

"No, think about it…" Chad enthused.

"Dude, I'm not gonna do it…" Troy rejected.

"Imagine, everyone already thinks she's a lesbian or frigid or something. If they find out she's putting out to their biggest rival's captain, that'd be the biggest blow to them, like, ever." Chad grinned.

Troy didn't like his way of thinking. He didn't like that he was being targeted as a potential trap for Gabi. And he definitely didn't like the idea that Gabi would be unknowing to this plan.

"You're talking like it's a given that she'll even look at me. Let's face it; I'm no different to any other guy that's tried." He argued, hoping that would end the silly idea Chad was growing.

"But you are. You're Troy Bolton. You could charm birds from trees, dude. I bet you could charm the knickers off Gabriella Montez." He challenged.

Troy lifted his eyes heavenward. That's exactly what he'd been afraid of. Here he was, fighting to prove himself to Gabi for entirely different reasons and his best mate was telling him to get her into bed as part of some on-going battle between their basketball teams.

"I'm surprised you even want me to try." Troy goaded in return.

"Seriously dude, this could be the final win for the Wildcats." Chad stated, leaving Troy alone in the middle of the corridor buzzing with people. All of whom knew his name but none of them really knew him.

It might be a win for the Wildcats, but what about Gabi? He was fighting so hard to protect her from exactly what Chad was asking him to do.

Could he possibly kill two birds with one stone? Could he pretend to be dating Gabi while fulfilling his skating comp quota and protect her at the same time?

---

Troy sped through the park on his inline skates, lifting his feet neatly at an obstacle, skidding along the back of a park bench.

He smiled as his natural balance and muscle control allowed him to bend and arch his body to show off an array of stunts as Gabi stood watching, speechless.

They'd finally finished their first dance lesson in the shed that night and Troy had come on heaps in just the space of a few hours but now they had to combine his dance training, with her skate stunt training. For their routine to be the best they had to have elements of both.

He skidded to a halt before her, scooping his arms around her to swing her around and she grabbed his forearms, squealing.

"Don't touch me, Bolton!" She reminded him as he let her down and span round her, feet pointed outward. She pushed at his chest to stop his dizzying pattern.

He stopped, his blue eyes softening as he considered her.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked worriedly.

"Nothing, I just told you not to do that." She complained.

He chuckled. "I just picked you up, Gabi. It's not like I was gonna do anything…" He smiled bemusedly.

"Well…sometimes people do…" She argued irrationally.

Something in the way she said it made him squint his eyes and look at her.

"What in the fuck did he do?" He asked straight away, his tone turning icy.

"Nothing." Gabi lied and skated away; grabbing a tree to spin round and heading back past him. He began to skate to catch her up, reaching her and grabbing for her finger tips.

She smiled over her shoulder as he caught them and her ebony hair flew behind her, her subdued outfit of sweat pants and t-shirt fulfilling his wish for her to wear something 'less sexy'.

In another smooth movement, he twisted so that he was skating backward, in front of her now.

"What happened?" He asked again and she knew they wouldn't be able to continue practise until she had told him.

"Oh, shit." She gasped and turned him quickly, using her breaks to skid them to a halt, forcing them to the floor with the sudden stop, Troy falling clumsily forwards and Gabi tumbling beneath him.

He saw he had been rescued from tumbling backwards down some steps. Gabi cradled in his arms, looked into his face with an amused grin.

"You sure like living on the edge, don't you, Troyby?" She asked him with her annoying nickname for him.

"Why do you call me that?" He wondered out loud, breathing hard, feeling her small body fit beneath his perfectly and only naturally letting his mind wander.

"It's cute seeing you scowl." She shrugged. "Let up, heavy man." She requested.

"Not until you tell me." He persevered.

She sighed, her fingers by the sides of her head, beginning to curl into the dark coils that lay beneath her now, loose and wild.

Her face was like a beautiful picture, her eyes framed with dark lashes, lengthened by mascara and outlined with eye pencil.

"Aidan just grabbed me again is all. He picked me up and rubbed me against him…like…like I was some kind of… plaything that he could just help himself to." She said disgustedly.

"I'm gonna kill him." Troy promised quietly and Gabi found his threat amusing.

"Troy, hello?" She called teasingly. "Last time I checked, you're not my boyfriend. I don't need you to fight my battles." She added.

His body was pressing into hers in a way she could not ignore. It wasn't even like she wanted to, her body just of it's own accord rose up, allowing the inside of her thigh to graze his, her clitoris gaining a warm, exquisite pleasure from the contact with his thigh. Her moan was uncensored, accompanied by her eyes fluttering shut, her hands grasping his upper arms that bulged with heavy muscle, caging her in, protecting her.

"You are the most beautiful girl I ever saw, Gabriella Montez." He husked, stunned by her self-pleasure against his body. If there was ever a time he wished he could vacate before self-destruction then this was it. Because if they got caught in this position, his life would surely be over. And yet he couldn't move until she expelled him.

"But I can look after myself." She repeated, her brown eyes connecting with his and hypnotising him.

"I don't want any other guys touching you like that." He stated boldly, still trapping her with his weight where she gently rubbed him again, her small smile of satisfaction hardening him beneath his jeans.

"You don't hear me getting all possessive." She breathed back, obviously turned on herself and only making him want her more.

"No, but if you did I can promise you we wouldn't be lying in the park while doing this." He replied seriously.

"I don't want other girls rubbing up on you like this, Troy." She tested gently, tracing his brow with one finger, pushing his fringe back as she did so.

Another arch from her hips into his, effectively making love to his thigh through their clothing.

His hand swifted between them, supporting her lower back on her rise, holding her to his hardened groin.

"Only if you want it, too…" He whispered, nuzzling her ear, reminding her of his promise on touching her.

She was playing with fire and she was surely going to get burned. It was like a red beacon flashing in her mind and she knew the danger but she just couldn't help herself. When it came to Troy Bolton, she just couldn't resist the physical pleasure his hands brought.

"I only want it with you, Troy. That's the problem…" She frowned, startled at his throaty growl.

He met her eyes, the dark night haloed by the street lamp nearby. Framing her face with a very gentle hand, he leaned down to reach her lips and began to kiss her, ever so-softly. She sank her hands into his hair, pressing her mouth harder against his, her skin tingling and buzzing at the contact with his hard, muscled body that weighted her to the ground.

Just as she was about to give into the temptation to flick her tongue against his, he pulled back, his hair messy and his eyes searching hers.

His finger traced a curl down the side of her face then he sprang up to his feet, holding out his hand to her to help her up.

"If he touches you again, I want to know about it." He begged.

"Why, so you can go play macho man with your little army?" She asked, pulling away. "That doesn't impress me, Troy." She assured him.

He followed her as she skated off.

"Then I won't. I'll just listen and let you talk it out." He promised hastily.

She rolled her eyes.

"You won't be able to stop yourself." She accused.

"I will. For you, I would." He promised.

"Let's just stick to the plan, Troy. Your plan was to get a winning routine. My plan is not to get involved with any boys until the summer. It's not that hard." She announced, knowing it actually was quite hard now that she was getting to know him.

"It is when I know some guy is touching you up and I can't be there to help." He said honestly.

"Troy!" She objected, spinning. "It's _not your problem. _You need to remember that. You have your world, I have mine."

"And I can't be concerned when some prick is groping your ass?" He asked emphatically.

"You're only concerned because you want me all for yourself. I don't belong to anyone, Troy." She reminded him, skating away.

"I never said you had to!" He argued after her retreating figure. "I just wanted to protect you." He murmured to himself, knowing she was no longer listening and it didn't matter anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

**Many happy, happy thanks to those who review!**

**Keep telling me your fave bits and not so fave bits :)**

**Ang x**

**CHAPTER 4**

A hand slammed down on the locker next to Gabi and made her jump with the unexpected noise it brought and she swirled, finding Aidan there and smiling brightly at him.

"Hello Aidan." She greeted with fake pleasure.

"I heard that Wildcat wants to bed you." He accused and Gabi looked at him blankly, placing a hand against his chest to push him away. He didn't move.

"Which one?" She arched a brow.

"The one that thinks he's god's gift. The pretty boy." Aidan squinted at her, as if testing her reaction.

"That's nice for him." She replied in measured tones.

"They got some kind of bet going on, him and that mate of his. They want to take a cheerleader and cause a storm." Aidan explained, looking either side of him before he looked back to Gabi.

"No-one is going to 'take' me." Gabi bit out pointedly.

"I think I should make you mine before they even try it." Aidan threatened, his hand driving between her thighs to cup her between the legs and she whimpered, pushing him away, her hair falling forward with her anger.

"Don't _ever_ touch me _again_. Do you understand?" She asked in a tight, stony voice.

"What, you'd rather have one of those Wildcats finger you up, make you wet?" He asked crudely and Gabi's eyes turned dark with her hatred for him.

"I'd rather you leave me the fuck alone." She stated, grabbing her books, slamming her locker shut and heading to class.

Now she knew, she really knew. Troy's motive had never been clear until right now and strangely, she didn't feel upset by Aidan's revelation as to what the Wildcats were planning. Because as long as she knew what their objective was, she could deal with Troy Bolton and his gang. And she had an idea just how she would do that.

But first things first, she had to work out how she was going to deal with Aidan. And without getting herself in trouble. She'd already been in enough trouble for her payback schemes; she didn't need to get in any more.

Chewing on her pen as she slid into her seat for class, she considered the possibilities.

"Hey, Gabi." Taylor greeted her as she sat next to her.

"Hey, girl." Gabi smiled back, noticing Taylor's new bob, her bright, preppy clothes. "You look nice." She told her friend.

"Oh, thanks, I just bought some new stuff…" She blushed.

"Oh yeah, anyone I know?" She wondered.

"No!" She answered quickly and Gabi pulled a face.

"Erm, okay. Stressed much?" She teased.

"I'm sorry; I'm just fed up of people asking me that. Life doesn't revolve around boys you know." She answered tersely.

"Ok sorry, Tay." Gabi apologised, studying her friend.

"Are you ok? I saw Aidan bugging you this morning?" She checked.

"Well funny you should mention him, but I was just planning my revenge…teach him once and for all that messing with me comes with its downfalls." She mused.

"Maybe you should date someone, let him know you're off limits." Taylor shrugged.

"But that's against my rules remember?" Gabi smiled. "No boy gropes me and gets away with it, you'll see." Gabi promised with a lip curl.

"Gabi, you're scaring me…" Tay said with a funny look.

"Oh, sorry, hun. Don't be scared, I'm just saying I need to find a way to teach him a lesson, that's all." She shrugged.

"I'm gonna walk home with you, to make sure you're okay." Taylor promised.

"Not tonight. I have something to do after school." Gabi explained.

"Text me when you're home, then." She begged.

"Of course." Gabi replied to ease Taylor's worrying.

She had a little expedition to take after school and it didn't involve going home. It involved going to East High and starting some of this pay back she talked about.

--

"Hi Troy."

"What the…!" Troy gasped, having slid into the driving seat of his truck and started the engine, he was shocked to see someone sitting in the rear seat, only having just made him aware of their presence. He flicked a look over his shoulder.

"Gabi?" He questioned as she sat, legs crossed, in his back seat.

"Let's go somewhere…private." She suggested with a calmness that put him on edge.

"Fine, but lay down or something 'cos someone might see you." He instructed moodily, not liking that she had risked coming to East High. There were too many dangers around for her to be wandering around looking for him.

He drove out of the parking lot and out of town toward the point.

"You know, I might just make this easier for you…" She commented after a while as she sat back up and he flicked his eyes to his rear-view mirror, seeing her unstrapping her high heeled shoes and dropping them into the foot well.

"What are you talking about?" He frowned, his focus back to the road.

"Well, you want to _take me_, don't you?" She asked in a sultry voice and he swallowed at it, his gaze back to the mirror, seeing her sliding down her long socks, flashing her naked legs to him from under her little black dress.

"Take you where?" He quizzed, licking his lips, wondering what in the heck she had taken because he didn't recognise the girl in his back seat.

"Take me, Troy. As in, fuck me. Make me yours…" She explained with such crudeness that he closed his eyes, and then swerved to miss the curb; finally realising he was in no state to drive as he pulled over.

"Well here I am!" She called, swiping her dress over head and leaving her curves naked for him.

He twisted in his seat, flicking his gaze over her tiny, but perfectly proportioned body.

"What are you doing, Gabi? Please, just get dressed." He asked, popping his door open.

"Oh here he comes!" She narrated to herself as she unhooked her bra and brushed the straps down her arms so that by the time he had reached the back door, her breasts were bared for his gaze and her mouth pursed into a tempting shape.

"Sweet Jesus…" He sighed, wanting to look at her beautiful naked form until his eyes burned out, but knowing something wasn't right.

He closed his eyes, her small but amazing breasts imprinted on the other side of his lids. He took a breath and counted to five.

"Oh, don't be shy…" She husked and he opened his eyes to find her laid out on the seat, facing him, her thumbs hooked under her panties and about to discard them.

He reached into the cab and pressed his thumbs against hers, very careful not to touch her other than to stop her.

"No." He said firmly, keeping his darkened blue eyes directly on hers.

"But this is what you want isn't it? Isn't this the bet? That you could bed me?" She queried and Troy felt a worming through his tummy. He almost felt sick with it, the knowledge that she had found out about Chad's stupid suggestion.

"Please, just put this on." He begged, picking up her dress, turning it in the right way, lifting it so she could put her arms straight in.

"You wanna do this dressed?" She asked with an eyebrow arch, scooting down the seat so that she was closer to him. "Just fuck me from the back seat, Troy. You're a man, right?" She accused more than asked.

He took another breath, stared at her with steely eyes, and then hitched himself onto the backseat, closing the door behind him and holding the dress up once more, sat beside her.

"Please, Gabi." He begged and she giggled, but he felt her arms go into the dress and he let go, keeping his eyes shut until he guessed she must be dressed.

He popped open one clear blue eye to check and she was sat next to him, re-clothed and waiting.

"Are you done?" He asked gently, turning sideways to face her.

She turned, too and her eyes were a colour he had never seen before.

"I was just saving us a lot of time. Get it out of the way, you know…" She stuck the knife in.

"Don't you remember my promise?" He asked, appealing to her hard brown eyes.

"But that means nothing does it, Troyby? When you're with your friends, it's easy to get caught up in their silly little bets. I mean, what is a body anyway? Just take it." She said lightly, her words so heavy against her tone that he could almost feel himself drowning in her sceptism.

"I would _never_ just 'take' anything, Gabi. I meant what I said. If anything happens with us, it's only if you want it as much as I do." He swore vehemently.

"I want this to be out of the way." She said, her voice raising. "I want sex to not be an issue anymore and for god's sake for you boys to stop acting like I'm this possession to fight over!" She shouted now, balling her fists.

"It's like, all that matters is who gets to sleep with me. Doesn't anything else matter? _Anything_?" She begged of him, her brown eyes softening now and tears formulated at the corners, shocking him.

"You matter." He answered easily, touching his forehead to rid his fringe from his eye, his other hand itching to reach out to her.

"I wish one of you would just fuck me and end this whole stupid fight." She bit out.

"No, you don't." He argued softly, reaching out now for her hand which lay in her lap, tightly bound together with her other hand as she stared ahead.

"And how do you know, Bolton?" She asked, turning her tearful eyes to him as he encouraged her fingers into his palm, his other hand dropping to take her other hand.

"Because I know you, Gabi. You have your rules, remember? You could have slept with any one of us by now." He broached.

"Maybe it's time to break the rules…" She argued, her eyes meeting his and testing him now.

"No, it's not time, it's not the right time." He assured her, his curly lashes hitting his cheeks before he looked back up at her.

"There's never a right time." She spoke softly, entranced by his eyes, by the calming effect his hands had, brushing against her fingers so gently.

"You'll know…" He smiled.

"Because you'll tell me?" She wondered.

"No." He denied her again. "Because you'll tell me." He replied, confident in his answer that he was the one she wanted to be with when she made that decision.

"What if it's not you?" She challenged, her brow arching in that way he loved.

"Then so be it." He offered.

"And that's it? Your bet goes un-finished. Incomplete?" She wondered.

He lifted one of his hands to brush her cheek, frame her face.

"I don't care if they want me to bet my life away. When I make love to you, it's going to be because you want it, Gabriella Montez. I won't take you any other way." He said softly, leaning forward, kissing the side of her mouth where she jolted with a whimper.

But she looked into his dark eyes for another moment, so close to his face she could feel his breaths. She let him kiss her top lip, opened her mouth so he could kiss her bottom lip and as his other hand lifted to brace her face, she sank into the all-consuming joining of their mouths, here in the backseat of his car.

He pulled away, staring into her eyes.

"You know what this means, don't you?" He asked and she frowned.

She had no idea what anything meant anymore. He had taken her dress and covered her up when she was offering herself to him in the most basic way. That had confused the hell out of her when she was sure he was going to take her offer and finish his bet.

"No." She replied.

"Well, they're going to expect me to be hanging out with you, while I 'convince' you to sleep with me." He grinned into the dark of the truck. "So we can be seen without worrying about being caught."

She squinted at him, bemused. "You're going to double cross your friends?" She wondered.

He nodded. "If that's what it takes, then yeah." He agreed.

"If that's what it takes to do what?" She cocked her head, reaching out to brush his fringe back, tucking it behind his ear and smiling as it dropped down again.

"If that's what it takes to make you trust me."

---

"Oh, dude! You sure are a fast worker!" Chad berated as Troy headed out of class and toward basketball practice.

"Huh?" He frowned, looking to his friend.

Chad held up a small, black bra and Troy felt the blush stain his cheeks. The bra that Gabi had stripped off in the back of his truck. She'd obviously left it behind after he had dropped her home. Damn.

"You didn't tell me you'd done the deed already!" Chad jeered.

"I haven't." Troy denied, snatching Gabi's underwear from him and tucking it into his bag.

Their twice weekly meetings for practising skating would be back on track as of tomorrow night now that he had managed to smooth things over in regards to the bet.

"Oh, okay, dude. Tough nut to crack, huh?" Chad reminded him.

"Look, nothing happened okay?" He said tersely.

"Well you gotta at least tell me if she's a handful?" Chad elbowed him in the side and Troy gritted his teeth.

He wanted to shout out that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen and he didn't want to hear the crude words they insisted on using when they were talking about her. He wanted to tell them, you know what, her breasts are about the most amazing breasts he had ever seen and he couldn't wait to taste her skin. He wanted to tell them, fuck you and your bet, Gabi is worth ten of you.

But he couldn't and he knew he had to pretend for at least a little while longer. But he closed his eyes, fighting against his very soul as he thought of what he could say that would please Chad and not upset Gabi. He didn't care if she couldn't hear him; he didn't want to be two people anymore. He wanted to respect her, all the time.

"She's perfect, man." He shrugged, barrelling off to the changing room leaving Chad following him with a disgusted look.

"Yeah, but does she have a rack?" Chad insisted.

"I don't know, dude." He lied, an image flashing up of her pert breasts from when she had revealed herself to him.

"You're holding back, Bolton. You got the girl's bra off, I'm pretty sure you got a feel." His friend teased.

"What is it with you? Maybe I just don't want to talk about it, huh?" He challenged angrily, shouldering Chad.

"Whoa, dude. You better not be getting all girly on me here. You're supposed to be seducing her, not the other way round." Chad warned in a low voice.

The rest of the team filed in and Chad grinned knowingly.

"Hey guys! Bolton got a feel of Montez' titties last night!" Chad crowed. "Tell us what her rack is like?" He called out and Troy glared at his friend, hating him for putting him in this position and hating himself for ever being friends with these people.

"You know what; it's none of your damn business…" He stated and stalked off, picking up a basketball and throwing it with great force against the wall to dissipate his anger.

"I might just have to have a feel myself then." Chad whispered in his ear as he followed him out, making Troy's back go stiff as a rod at his words.

He had to take deep breaths. He couldn't let the game away. Chad mustn't know about his growing feelings for Gabi.

"I'd like to see you try." He challenged, knowing this would placate Chad even if it made his own tummy dive at his words.

He just had to make sure he got to Gabi before Chad did.

--

The knocking on her balcony door was a surprise to say the least. Gabi rolled up from her bed, her hair curling in its natural craziness, her small form dressed in a vest and French knickers.

She peeked through her curtain, her eyes widening at the sight of Troy. Grabbing the first thing from her chair, she threw on the jacket and unlocked her balcony window, pulling him in by his jacket lapel.

"Hey!" He complained as he softly fell into her room and stood, staring at her.

"What, Troyby?" She asked back, annoyed, folding her arms.

"You're wearing my jacket." He stated, eyeing her, liking how his clothes drowned her.

She looked down on the too-long sleeves.

"Oh shit…" She swore and pulled the garment off, leaving him to gaze at her nearly-naked body. "Stop doing that!" She threw at him, her arms flapping by her sides.

"What?" He appealed.

Gabi looked at him, his messy hair was crazy as usual, he was wearing his usual converse and jeans and some kind of red wildcat t-shirt that she should find repellent but somehow, suited his muscled form. His jacket was dark and the collar flicked up and his hands were in his pockets. But ever since she had let him in, his distracting blue eyes had not left her and she felt entirely naked under his gaze. Even more so than when she had actually _been_ naked.

"Stop looking at me like that." She complained softly.

He shook off his jacket and stepped up to her.

"Like what?" He demanded, his smile starting off her own.

"Like you fancy me or something…" She accused sulkily, lifting her hands as he came closer and stopping him before he could make contact.

"Fancy you? Nah, not me. You must have the wrong guy." He teased, flicking her a lop-sided grin that curled her toes.

"Why are you here?" She asked, grabbing her dressing gown and tying the belt fiercely around her waist.

"I brought this…" He said, returning to his jacket and pulling out her bra.

She smiled in memory of last night and took it from him.

"Oh. Thank you." She said quietly.

"Look, I came for another reason…" He broached.

She pointed to the bed and sat with him against the wall, curling toward him.

He let his eyes drop down her from head to toe.

"Can I just say you look amazing in your night wear?" He asked with a gentle smile.

She swiped him.

"No."

"Okay…well, look…err…." He sighed. "Chad found that in my truck, so he thinks we made out…" He explained slowly and Gabi actually smiled.

"That's good, right?" She asked.

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Well it is except…except he kept going on and on about it." He closed his eyes, opening them when he felt her hand on his thigh.

"And…" She prompted.

"And I wouldn't give him the answers he wanted and he threatened to find out for himself." He said gently, unconsciously tensing up, wanting so badly to wrap her into his arms but knowing she wouldn't let him.

"Find out what, Troy? What did he ask you?" She wondered.

"About your…" He sighed again, tipping his head back.

"My boobs?" She supplied for him and he nodded, still not looking at her.

"I swear to god, if he touches you…" He warned, sitting forward.

Gabi wrapped her hand around his tensed arm, taking a gasp at the feel of his obvious muscle, seeing his gaze turn to hers instinctively.

"I'm not yours, Troy." She reminded him.

"Is it so wrong that I want to protect you?!" He demanded, scooting off her bed and stalking around her room.

She jumped up too, rushing over and placing her finger over his lips, stilling him.

"Shhh!" She warned, eyes wide.

"Is it so wrong?" He asked again, more softly, squinting.

Her hidden eyes told him she was keeping something from him.

"I have it all day from Aidan. He keeps telling me that he'll make me his before you guys can get to me." She shuddered. "He touched me…intimately…the other day and I swore to myself he wouldn't do it again. I'm going to make him pay." She shared.

His eyes were burning holes into her now and he didn't even think before he pulled her against his body.

"I'll make him pay, alright." Troy swore against her hair, his ragged breaths dragging strands in and out with each breath.

"Why are you like this, Troy? Before that day in the park, I never even spoke to you." She couldn't work it out, he knew.

She didn't know how long he'd been watching her from afar, silently but slowly falling for her. He'd decided a long time ago he wanted to make her his girl but he knew there had to be a right time for it. And maybe that time was now.

Her hands relaxed against his chest just as her body did against his and he held her a little while longer.

"Because you're different with me, Gabi. You let me in." He argued and she knew this was true.

He was the only guy she had let close to her like this since she had moved here in the summer. And she still couldn't explain to herself, or anyone else, why that was.

"We have so much work to do for the competition…" She began as she pulled away. "We can't afford to get involved." She reasoned.

He felt his body cool where she had once been laid against him.

He nodded, pursing his lips, gathering up his jacket which he swung on.

"Just be careful, Gabi. Please, be careful of Chad." He begged as he exited her room and climbed down her balcony, leaving her rubbing her arms as the cold night air seeped in.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much for reviewing everyone! I see some familiar names and some new ones :)**

**CHAPTER 5**

"Okay, squad!" Gabi called as she gathered the cheerleading team for lunch practice.

"Gabi, is it true that you slept with Troy Bolton?" Kelsey asked from the front row.

Gabi frowned. "No."

"What about Aidan?" Jennie threw up next and Gabi looked disgusted.

"No!" She denied.

"Apparently Chad Danforth…" Helen began and Gabi screamed in frustration.

"Guys!" She yelled. "I thought I made it clear I am here to win us trophies! What was my one rule?" She asked unnecessarily.

"Don't fall in love." The group chorused unconvincingly.

"But there's all these rumours going round…" Kelsey piped up again and Gabi rolled her eyes.

"Okay, number one, I am not and will never sleep with Aidan." She announced. "Number two, Chad Danforth will get another kick in the nuts if he even comes near me. And number three, Troy Bolton is Troy Bolton. It's as much a mystery to me as it is to you what goes on in his team." She finished.

"Can I sleep with Troy Bolton?" Jennie asked and the squad chuckled at her.

Gabi didn't see what was so funny but she was a little too close to this to make an objective opinion.

"Can we please do some work?" Gabi asked, commanding her team into a formulation, wondering where the heck these rumours came from but knowing deep down, the source.

--

Gabi had had enough. She had promised to payback Aidan and now she was more determined than ever to fulfil that vow.

She stalked the halls until she found him, grasping his t-shirt at chest level in one small hand, pointing her chin upwards, her fiery brown eyes speaking volumes.

"I hear one more story about who I've bedded and you'll lose a ball." Gabi warned, her grip on Aidan's privates strong enough to make him wince.

Her promised plan to get revenge on him had been slightly delayed with her distraction of Troy but now she was going to deliver it, precisely.

"Okay!" He agreed.

"I mean it, Aidan. I don't wanna hear my name even mentioned in the same sentence as your name. I don't wanna see your hands anywhere near me. I don't even wanna have to speak to you unless it's absolutely unavoidable..." She warned, gripping tighter.

"What the fuck, Gabi!" He screeched and she knew she had made her point.

"I gave you a chance to have the nice side of me, Aidan." She said coolly, giving once last twist before she let go and walked off, smirking to herself.

He wouldn't be fucking with Gabi Montez any longer she smiled.

--

Gabi knew she was running late as she twisted into the hole leading to their practice space. She was surprised to see Troy had started without her. He had a CD player going and he was dancing, unknowing to her arrival as his back was to her and he got into his groove.

She smiled softly, loving seeing him forming shapes and dancing without inhibitions.

He swirled and at the same time, stripped off his t-shirt, flinging it off some way into the middle of the room.

He looked up, suddenly aware of her watching him; he stopped, brushing his hands together nervously.

"If that's part of your routine, we could be onto a winner." She flirted, letting her gaze appreciate the full expanse of his well- muscled chest, dropping to scrutinise his six-pack, lingering at the band of his jeans where she licked her lips.

Back up his chest, she avoided his face to allow a look at his arms, strong like his shoulders and bulky, defined. Sexy.

His breathing was laboured as she walked up to him and she began to bop to the beat, meeting his eyes.

"Show me." She smiled and he shyly scuffed his toe. She tilted her head and arched her brow.

"Come on, we have to get comfortable doing this." She argued.

He turned up the music, moving his body again, slowing his moves down so she could pick them up.

After a little while she had them perfected and then began to adapt them, dancing with him rather than from him.

He still didn't know where to put his hands when she crowded him the way she did.

He knew their skating brought them closer sometimes, but she wasn't dancing in his lap then, not like she was now.

"Here…" She led, taking his hands and placing them at her fleshy hips.

Her vixen smile up at him told him she was half laughing at him and half enjoying their proximity.

"This feels weird." He admitted, smiling a little back at her, nervous.

"We just gotta practice more, until it doesn't feel weird." She said pragmatically.

"I feel like…like I shouldn't be touching you like this." He explained, checking her eyes for her reaction and she didn't laugh.

"Well, you managed ok last time." She allowed.

"That was just…I couldn't stop myself." He uttered, then closed his mouth quickly.

"It's okay, Troy." She assured, reaching up to stroke his hair at his neck. At the same time their hips aligned and she rode his thigh to the hip-hop beat.

"You just gotta….do what feels right." She said then, gyrating slower, really brushing herself against him, her sweats doing nothing to diminish her beauty to him.

His hands cupped her behind, just like that very first time in the street and she tilted her head back at the warm wave that rode over her body, instinctively arching up onto his thigh as he supported her back and dropped her lower, away from him.

"Mmm…" She moaned as he brought her tightly into his hip, her intimacy flush with his thigh now, her breaths soft and wanting.

Hanging from his neck with her fingers, Gabi opened her desire-heavy lids and let the swirl of colours in Troy's pupils rule her, leaning up his body to be closer to that chest, to be closer to those lips. To just be closer where she could rub herself and have that tingling roll down her body…

"Can I touch you?" He begged on a hoarse murmur, his thumbs brushing at her belly.

Her hitched murmur of appreciation gave him the answer he needed as he scooped his hands beneath her tracksuit bottoms and encompassed her globe-like ass with his warm, rough hands.

He couldn't pull her any tighter against his body but he could bury himself into her, albeit clothed. One small re-arrangement and he was pressing his arousal against her belly, his mouth claiming hers in the same swift movement.

Her fingers hadn't left his hair and her tongue flicked into his mouth, all leading him to forget exactly what he was doing here while his arms tightened around her smaller body, telling her in no uncertain terms how close he wanted to be to her.

Lifting her thigh, he hooked her knee across his hip, hearing her whimper of pleasure as he swallowed it. He ran his hand back across her shapely leg, and then let his hands run up her back toward her hair.

It was once held in a loose bun until his fingers pulled it down into a raven mess, enjoying the feel of it. At some point she jumped into his arms and wrapped her thighs around his middle, although he couldn't tell when, he just knew he couldn't get enough of her, couldn't be close enough to her until he was inside her, dipping into her sweetness as surely as his tongue dipped into her mouth now.

He was sure it was his own voice that made the low, guttural moan that awakened them both from their passion filled embrace, their eyes meeting and locking for several moments before either one of them broke the spell.

"Wow." Gabi breathed as she loosened her ankles, letting his hands support her hips as she dropped down from his body, still letting her hands connect with him as she dragged them down his chest and rested them there.

"You're telling me…" He husked back, trying to get his breathing under control, trying to remind his body that there was going to be no satisfaction from their foreplay.

"We're really not going to get very far with this, are we?" She wondered, frowning at him.

"We are…we just need to…get over the novelty or something." He quoted her earlier words, shrugging.

She giggled at him, turning quickly to grab his t-shirt.

"You need to keep this on for a start…" She teased as he pulled the top over his head and down over his body where her gaze lingered.

"Is that better, ma'am?" He asked formally.

She smiled. "Not really." She said honestly. "But it will do…" She added before he could take that as signal to kiss her again.

"I told you not to dress sexy…" He accused as she struggled to come back to reality, hands still planted on his chest. He carefully juggled her in his arms as he looked down on her.

"I'm in my ugliest clothes!" She returned defensively, seeing his grin, smiling back.

"Ok, Montez. Let's just start from the top. No touching. Just dancing." He suggested.

Gabi let go of his chest and secretly pined when his arms loosened around her.

"No touching?" She asked, almost forlornly, making his groin ache with refreshed fervour.

"Hey, if we're going to get anywhere tonight, I think it's best." He stated.

She nodded and he began a little jig-step that she joined in on, giggling as she tripped over her own feet, then catching the rhythm again.

She let the music carry her, twisting and winding her body, her hips swirling in her sexy little way. Troy could only watch, smiling widely as she got caught up in her own little world.

What he would do to catch those hips in his hands and wind her thrusts into his body. He followed her lead, shadowing her curves with his hands.

"Just touch me, Troy." She said in a breathy voice, her eyes pleading with his and he wondered how long she had been hiding her thoughts.

"We know what happens when I touch you." He lifted his brows, making some funny moves to lighten the moment.

"I know what happens, I burn up." She admitted. "My skin feels like its torch paper to a match- your hands feel like…like they should never leave my body." She didn't know what she was saying or why but it was like the words couldn't be stopped.

She lifted her hands to her forehead, bewildered as to what happened to her when Troy touched her.

"Wow." He husked from in front of her, dancing forgotten, the music now blaring unwanted in the background.

"I have to go." She decided and grabbed her things, not waiting for him to catch up.

"Gabi, you can't say something like that and then run off…" He argued, following her quickly.

"What do you want from me, Troy?" She asked, facing him.

"For you to admit I'm worth breaking the rules for." He challenged.

"Well you're not." She stated flatly, turning without meeting his eyes and running off.

"Be careful!" He begged as she vanished, leaving him stranded in the old train yard, wondering if his wildly buzzing body would ever recover from tonight.

--

"Pretty little Montez, on the wrong side of town." Chad mused as Gabi crossed the boundaries to get home from meeting Troy at the skate park.

"Shove off, Danforth." She spat, folding her arms more tightly around her.

"You know, Bolton wouldn't give much away about what lies beneath that jacket…" Chad sneered, stepping in front of her.

"Well that's because he wouldn't know, would he? It's not for anyone to find out, either." She warned.

"I don't know, Montez. You could be wrong there. I mean, I could make do with a handful…" He suggested, grabbing her arms to pull them away from her body.

"No!" She screamed and kicked out, connecting with his knee, sending him momentarily to the ground so she could run.

Out of the shadows came a familiar figure. A tall, thick set body that she would never have considered to be a safe haven, yet here it was. His arms wound around her tightly, protecting, soothing.

"I've got you." He said softly, his chin touching her head.

She pulled away, conscious of Chad not far behind. He saw him approaching and he laughed at the pair of them.

"Nice going, Bolton. Now we can both have her." Chad intimated.

Gabi looked to Troy.

"Go home, Gabi." He stated and Chad looked between the pair of them as Gabi looked to him.

"I'm not leaving." She stated.

"Just go." He ordered again, his gaze intent on his friend, not looking to her.

Chad smiled at her. "Want a piece of us both?" He wondered and she stared at him, touching Troy's arm.

"Be careful." She echoed his words to her and walked away, shivering as Chad blew a kiss at her and she hurried off.

Troy knew this was the moment. This was the moment that he went up against his best friend and won or lost. And it wasn't just his best friend he feared losing, it was everything- basketball, his team mates, Wildcats.

It was all in the mix as they stepped up to each other and silently prepared to fight.


	6. Chapter 6

**Short chappie sorry :/**

**Thanks for the comments, made me laugh how everyone mentioned the fight and only a couple of you mentioned the dance scene haha.**

**Here's the next bit…**

**CHAPTER 6**

Luckily for Troy it was dark when he got back. All the lights in the house were out. All but one. His room light burned and he frowned, wondering if his mum or dad had decided to wait up for him and figuring tonight wasn't the best night for them to see him coming home late.

He climbed the stairs, his ribs aching, his face throbbing, coming to his room and nudging the door open, a soft gasp leaving his lips as he saw Gabi's small body curled up on his bed, fast asleep.

At least she was until he woke her. Quickly turning before she could see him, he headed down the hall for the bathroom, diving in even though he didn't pull the door up in time before Gabi caught him.

"Oh my god." She whispered, reaching out to touch his face, not knowing where to put her fingers in case she hurt him.

"It's not that bad." He assured quickly, knowing he had beaten Chad and that Chad was a lot worse off.

"For me?" She asked, touched.

He shrugged.

"Sit down." She said, pushing him onto the closed toilet seat, stripping off his jacket with care, followed by his t-shirt.

"Hey, you told me to keep that on…" he complained.

"Shh." She commanded, kissing his mouth where he hissed in pain as her lips touched his split lip.

"Oh, sorry." She winced.

"It's okay." He said.

"I can't believe you did this." She commented.

"I can't believe my mom and dad let you in…let you stay…" He frowned.

"I told them I was your girlfriend. That we'd had a fight…" She explained.

He smiled until it hurt to.

"Gabi Montez, you little liar." He accused.

She began to clean his wounds carefully, gently, so far from her usual brash self he wondered where the real Gabi had been left behind.

"You're all bruised…" She worried, stroking his face gently now he was clean.

"Am I ugly? Do you not fancy me any more?" He wondered with animated eyes.

"I think I demonstrated enough tonight exactly how much I fancy you." She huffed. "I don't see how a few bruises would change that."

He caught her wrist in his hand, bringing her in between his thighs.

"To some it might. To some…fighting is ugly." He broached.

"You fought for me, Troy. That's not ugly. That's amazing." She stated softly, brushing his fringe back, pinning it there with a curby grip she took from her hair.

"What about here?" She asked, gently running her fingers over his sore ribs.

"Nothing a few of your kisses won't heal." He smiled.

She knelt before him, leaning forward and brushing her lips against the skin so softly so as not to hurt him, gently raking her fingertips down his ribs.

"See, good as new." He said tightly, holding his breath.

She held out her hand to him and led him to his room, laying him on his bed where he wriggled out of his jeans and laid back, face screwed up in pain.

She unzipped her jacket, revealing her tight top that accentuated her breasts, reminding him what this had all been for. To protect her, to stop anyone else touching her when she didn't want to be touched.

She rolled onto the bed next to him, allowing herself to be tucked under his arm and he still waited for the ball breaking Gabi to surface.

"Thank you, Troy." She said softly, hearing his breaths slow down while he dropped to sleep.

For the first time in her life she had let somebody else protect her; and she quite liked the feeling.

--

"Troy! Time to get up!" Mrs Bolton called as she opened the door to find her son in bed with his girlfriend, spooning.

"Ooops!" She quickly said and turned away.

"Hi, mom." He croaked, cuddling Gabi's back for a few more seconds, before sitting up.

"Uh, good morning son." She replied, still not turning round.

"It's okay we're not like, naked or anything." He assured her as he watched Gabi sleep on in his bed next to him, brushing her hair back gently.

"I should hope not, seeing as we only just found out you have a girlfriend…" Lucy Bolton accused, folding her arms as she faced her son. "What in the heck happened to you?" She shouted.

"Oh, jeez, wake up the neighbourhood," he complained.

"I don't like the fact this girl turns up for you and you come home –after curfew may I add- and you look like a punch bag!" Lucy accused.

Gabi stirred on the bed and rubbed her eyes, flipping over to look between Troy and the source of noise.

"Hey, beautiful." Troy greeted her, smiling and she reached out to touch his swollen face delicately.

"Hey, Troyby." She greeted back.

"Gabriella, it's time for you to get home." Lucy stated coldly and Gabi swallowed, sitting up.

"Of course, Mrs. Bolton. Thank you so much for having me." She quickly said, standing up.

"Gabi, wait…" Troy said from behind her and she twisted, kissed her fingers and placed them on his lips.

"See you soon." She told him, then grinned at his mom and snuck by her and down the stairs.

"I cannot believe you just did that!" Troy accused.

"Tell me what happened…" His mother insisted.

"I had a fight with Chad." He said openly.

"About…" His mom prompted.

"About Gabi, okay?" He admitted.

"Because…."

"Because she goes to West High. And he was trying to be an asshole and get her to be his girl and she didn't want to be. I kinda ended up falling for her amongst it all." He explained.

"And losing your best friend." Lucy said gently.

"I don't need friends like that, mom." Troy said firmly, getting up to get ready for school, not quite knowing what he was facing.

--

"Is it true that Troy and Chad had a fight because of you?" Kelsey asked Gabi as she walked into the cafeteria at lunchtime.

"What?" She asked, pretend dumb.

"The Wildcats, they're all on two sides, Troy or Chad. There was a bust up last night. Over some girl." Kelsey added.

"Why would it be me?" Gabi asked.

"Because Chad is forever tailing you and Troy was betting on sleeping with you."

Kelsey said in a 'duh' tone.

"Wow, nice that I am included in this somewhere…" She said drily, sleepily.

"You stayed the night with him though, didn't you?" Aidan asked from the edge of the table.

"With who?" She shot back, spitting out her drink convincingly. Her heart pounded in her chest as she panicked at being found out.

"With Chad. I saw a girl sneaking out of his house this morning." Aidan said.

Gabi laughed. "You think I'd go near that punk after what he said to me?" She looked at him like he was crazy.

"You want a piece of that, don't you?" Aidan sneered.

"Funnily enough, no, I don't." She replied.

"Don't lie to me!" He yelled and Gabi stood up, her eyes glowing with her anger.

"Wanna say that again, Aidan?" She asked, very controlled.

His face dropped.

"No, I'm outta here." He said and vanished quickly, Gabi smiling in triumph.

"Gabi, there's something I have to tell you." Taylor whispered across the table and Gabi bent close to her.

"What is it, Tay?" Gabi asked, concerned.

"It was me that Aidan saw, leaving Chad's house. I was at his house last night."

--


	7. Chapter 7

Another shortie sorry!

Thanks for the amazing reviews though! I was so happy and extremely flattered at the comments. Made my day :)

**CHAPTER 7**

Gabi didn't know if she should be angry or not. By rights, she had spent the night with a Wildcat, too, but her Wildcat wasn't threatening to grope girls at every given opportunity.

Walking away from her best friend was not something she had expected to do but she found herself doing just that.

Her skating session with Troy had been postponed until his injuries were better but they were still meeting to talk through the routine.

They didn't have many places they could go without being caught so Gabi decided to bear the risk and go to Troy's house. If Aidan was skulking around then she would just have to deal with him.

"You're wearing my favourite outfit," he accused as she came into his room in her denim playsuit.

"I don't dress to please anyone but myself." She replied stoically, wandering around his room before she faced him.

"Wanna sit on my lap?" He asked with a cheeky brow lift.

She pursed her lips, smiling back at him.

"Sure." She shrugged, taking him by surprise, climbing onto the bed and straddling him. "Is this what you had in mind?" She asked, loosely hanging her wrists over his shoulders.

"More like this…" He beamed, running his fingertips up her legs, resting his hands at her lower back.

"And the rest…" She rolled her eyes.

"What?" He feigned.

"Oh you know, Bolton. That ass that everyone keeps talking about." She mused and he let his hands wander then, covering her cheeks.

"I was just waiting for permission to touch…" He teased.

"You don't need to." She murmured into his ear, leaning back to smile at him teasingly.

"Oh but I do, I have been told in no uncertain terms…" He began, only to be cut off by her kiss.

"My terms are simple…" She said as she pulled away.

"Okay." He allowed.

"As long as no-one finds out I broke my no-boys rule, you can touch whatever you like." She shrugged.

He suddenly grinned, tilting his head. "You're breaking the rules for me." He stated, knowingly.

"I guess you are worth breaking the rules for, Troyby." She allowed.

"I don't want anyone else to touch you like this, Gabi." He stated again, running his hands around her slim waist and up her ribs, toward the opening of her poppered top.

"I'm not yours, Troy." She said on a smile, not really feeling her words.

"Then how do I make you mine?" He wondered, leaning forward, nuzzling his nose into the gap of her top, kissing her bared breast as it peeked out from her bra.

She clutched his head to bring his lips closer, feeling his hands gently undo her top, flip open the front and expose her bra-clad form to him.

His lips kissed down her neck, flicking his tongue where he knew it would make her moan, feeling her panting breaths go straight to his already aching groin.

His hands braced her back so gently, trapping into her curly hair as it fell down her back and she arched her body for his mouth, not shying away as he unfastened her bra and suckled her nipple into his hot, wet mouth.

"I am yours, Troy. I always have been…" She cast out on a satisfied murmur and she felt his arms tighten around her, his lips finding hers so that they kissed with certain passion. Like two forces colliding, two magnets meeting, two people grasping and gripping onto each other as their undeniable connection could not be broken any longer.

Her words rang deep into his soul, bringing his possessive growl out, his teeth marking her skin as he bit gently and sucked, her breast receiving his imprint, his ultimate stamp upon her.

If anyone else saw her like this, then they would know- she was already taken. She was already his.

"Don't forget homework Troy!" His mom called up the stairs, knocking them both out of their foreplay, sending him backwards on the bed in an agonising moan.

Gabi watched him and wondered if he needed help.

"Troy?" She asked gently, afraid.

"Don't talk to me, beautiful. Just give me a minute, huh?" He begged, his arm flung across his eyes in an attempt _not_ to envisage her naked and himself deep inside her.

Gabi dressed herself shyly, pressing the poppers together gently and shifting in his lap, ready to climb off.

"Whoa," he said, holding her in place with his hands on her thighs.

"I'm not helping you…" She guessed astutely and he sighed.

Eventually, he helped her from his lap, getting up and disappearing to his bathroom as she curled on his bed and waited.

She didn't think she had ever met a boy with such control. Normally they just wanted to sleep with you no matter what. She felt touched by his show of respect.

"Let's get on with this routine shall we?" He asked as he came back in, damp.

Gabi guessed he must have had a shower.

"We need to run through it soon." She commented, flicking a look at him.

His blue eyes soothed her as they connected with hers and didn't stray.

"We will. Just as soon as we can keep our hands off each other…" He joked, sending her a grin.

--

"Now there goes a girl who looks like she's been fucked." Aidan accused as Gabi walked by him, hidden in the dark shadows.

Gabi paused, wondering if he was really stupid enough to take her on again. His arms bound around her from behind, his voice menacing in her ear.

"Wanna another one, huh? Want a real man to show you a good time?" He asked coarsely, jutting his arousal into her back.

"Fuck off Aidan!" She screamed, fighting his arms off her, the pressure forcing her to the ground, where he leaned over and ripped her poppers open, exposing her bra- and her love bite.

She quickly gathered her top together, outraged at his intention.

"Oh looks like the Wildcats bite round here!" He laughed, reaching for her again, but finding a restraining hand on his arm.

Aidan turned to face the opposer, meeting a fist which smacked him firmly in the face, knocking him to the floor.

"You know what, they punch too." Troy husked as he watched Aidan roll on the floor in pain, wincing at his pained knuckles.

He looked to Gabi and crouched down, letting her button her top up before he took her hands and helped her up from the ground, seeing her brush down her dirty legs.

He squinted his eyes as if checking her over himself, seeing her love mark and feeling tightness in his belly from how much he wanted to shout from the rooftops that she was his.

He pulled her against his body, not letting her resist. She was about the only girl he knew that didn't like hugs.

"Almost home, beautiful," he said gently as he dropped his arms, and she took one of his hands as he continued to walk her.

"Were you following me?" She wondered then, realising he had done this the night he fought with Chad.

He chuckled. "I always do." He admitted.

"Always?" She turned to him.

"Yep."

"Even when Chad followed me and Taylor?" She wondered.

"Well, maybe not that time, but I did laugh when he told me you kicked him in the balls." He offered.

"Taylor was at his house, after the fight." She said quietly, not having told him yet.

"Oh. Oh wow." He said back, surprised.

"Mm. I don't know what to think. Part of me thinks that I can't really judge because I was doing the same thing…" She shrugged, looking up at him. "But part of me thinks that you haven't once tried to grope my ass so Chad really isn't a direct comparison." She added.

"You need to find out why, Gabi." He offered. "Don't let us both lose our best friends." He smiled.

She stopped smiling as they reached her house.

"You don't have to, you know. You can choose him, I'd understand." She offered.

"Would you? Cause I wouldn't. I can't condone his behaviour." Troy assured her.

"Don't follow me, Troy. One day you'll get hurt." She worried.

"Rather me than you." He smiled, kissing her knuckles and bowing away into the darkness, jogging off.


	8. Chapter 8

**Caro 9623, here it is lol.**

**Whirlergirl- you should be proud. I don't think I copied yours but this idea just popped into my head and your story totally inspired the darker edge of it.**

**I am sooo unbelievably chuffed at the comments. Keep them coming I read them all even if I don't mention names.**

**Karen *cough* I don's see you ;)**

**CHAPTER 8**

"I'm secretly seeing Troy." Gabi announced to Taylor the next morning at her house, hoping her friend would offer some insight as to why she was at Chad's house.

"Well I'm not seeing Chad if that's what you think, but I was at his house after the fight. I found him in the street and I couldn't just leave him there." She explained and Gabi sighed with a nod, linking arms with her best friend.

"Will you keep my secret?" Gabi asked.

"You know I will. When did it all start?" Taylor wondered.

"A while ago. But Aidan caught me leaving his house last night so it might not be secret much longer." Gabi sighed.

On entering West High, it was obvious it wasn't a secret at all; in fact, it was plastered all over the walls in crude photocopied pictures depicting Gabi giving Troy oral sex.

"Oh god." She sighed, wondering if this was what it was like for Troy since he and Chad had their fight.

--

"Hope you and that frigid bitch are happy together." Chad's slicing words shot into Troy's ear as he entered East High, still wearing his Wildcat jersey, still maintaining his popularity after falling out with his best mate. It was Chad who had been forced to leave the basketball team after they had taken a vote and the majority wanted Troy to stay.

He couldn't deny he missed his team-mate, but he knew the fight was worth having. Gabi would at least be safe from him now.

He thought about the skating competition and how in only a few weeks, all this struggle would finally be worth it, all their hard work would come to pay off.

They had their first full run through tonight at the park, after dark, when no-one else could watch them and try to poison them against each other.

"Hey, you took out Aidan?" Jason asked as Troy sauntered into the hall.

"Who told you that?" Troy demanded.

"It's all over West High. They got these posters up, too." Jason said and handed Troy the vivid re-enactment of oral sex.

"Oh, shit!" He swore.

"Dude, you did it, you seduced Gabriella Montez." Jason beamed.

"I didn't fucking seduce her!" He protested harshly, screwing up the poster and wondering what school had been like for Gabi with these pictures up everywhere.

"Dude, she sucked you off…" Jason pointed to the screwed up paper.

Troy closed his eyes and counted to three.

"She didn't fucking suck me off, okay Jason? She's my girlfriend. There, I said it." He sighed, throwing his arms out in surrender.

"She's your girlfriend and she didn't suck you off?" He asked confused.

Troy groaned and covered his head with his arms. He had a feeling that his friends were going to take it a lot better than Gabi's about their relationship.

--

"Ready to roll, Wildcat?" Gabi asked as she skated clean past Troy and proceeded to perform a round of stunts to impress him.

"How was school?" He asked knowingly and Gabi knew it was that tone. The one that wouldn't go away until she answered, no matter how much she tried to avoid it.

"Sexy much?" She asked him, taking in his carpenter shorts and white vest.

Her hands went to his chest and she smiled into his face.

He smiled back, one hand cupping her back, the other brushing her cheek.

"I saw the poster…" He said and she turned, skating away playfully.

"Don't tell me, you want me to go down on you!" She called across the tennis court.

He skated after her, catching her from behind with ease and pulling her into his body where he span them, then let her slowly down.

"Not right now." He grinned against her ear, letting her turn to look at him.

"Well, why not right now?" She asked back, her hands going to his shorts.

"Oh no…" He smiled, pulling them away but she had such small hands, they kept escaping his grip.

"I'm good, don't ya know?" She asked, kneeling before him.

"Gabi, get up…" He chuckled, looking around to make sure no-one was watching.

"No, I would hate not to live up to expectations." She teased and he sighed, finally deciding to crouch down with her.

"Our promise, remember?" He looked her in the eye.

"Who says I don't want to?" She asked back.

"What about me? What if I don't want you to?" He asked.

"What boy wouldn't?" She asked accurately.

"I wouldn't. Unless you were totally comfortable." He added.

She shrugged. "I am."

"Okay. Let me rephrase that. I wouldn't want to, unless we were in love." He said instead.

His blue eyes were so clear and she almost laughed at his cuteness. He thought that oral sex was like proper sex and he wanted to be in love to receive it.

Somehow, though it might have previously, the thought didn't put her off. She could have easily used and abused Troy Bolton in her non-boy year and sex would have been a very pleasurable side-effect.

But his control, his respect, his outright need to have her as only his, only made her want him more.

"What if I am in love?" She asked, running her hand into his hair.

He squinted. "Are you?" He asked.

He wanted to hear her say the words, those that matched his thoughts. He wanted her to admit she couldn't bear seeing him with anyone else. She might had given herself up to him physically, but he wanted all of her- emotionally, too.

"Nearly." She shrugged, leaning forward to kiss him, getting up and skating off, leaving him messy haired and stunned once again.

He joined her, starting the music, skating through their routine and lifting her with ease. He could touch her anywhere now without feeling awkward. Their practice off the court seemed to have helped him a little there, he smirked.

He let her slide down his body in the finale, supporting her into a split.

"God, but you're hot when you do that." He murmured, helping her up.

"I'm a dancer. Most guys find that kinda sexy." She mused.

"Kinda sexy? Do most of them find it rips them up till three am thinking about it?" He wondered.

Her look over her shoulder lit him deep inside.

"Three am? Troyby, I think we need to have another sleep-over." She suggested.

"Oh no…" He argued quickly, shaking his head, his eyes animated as he unstrapped his boots and put his sneakers on.

"It'll be fun." She said.

"For you! I can't even sleep thinking about you, let alone being right next to you." He argued.

"But that's the thing…we can…make out." She said the last two words like she was going to the zoo.

"Oh sure, our parents won't know, honest." He rolled his eyes.

"My mom is clueless. You don't know how many boys I had in my room and she didn't not have a clue…." The words died on her lips, realising what she was revealing.

"How many?" He asked, kind of joking..

"It was before I came here." She stated defensively, feeling guilty somehow. Like none of those boys actually meant anything to her. None of them fought for her or made her smile or simply…cared.

And she'd given her most precious gift away without really considering it, only now wishing she had kept it for Troy.

"It's okay, you know." He said gently, as if sensing her thoughts.

"Is it?" She wondered, looking up to him with her big, soulful eyes.

His arms went around her, tightly, reassuring.

"Yeah. You're you, Gabi. I wouldn't have it any other way." He smiled.

"Well aren't you the soppy one?" She teased, breaking from his hug.

She turned and grabbed his hand, reminding him that she did care about him, too. She just sometimes didn't know how to show him.

"So, how was school?" He asked again and she groaned, really thinking she had mastered diversion by using sex as a weapon.

"It was…fun." She lied through gritted teeth.

"Be honest with me." He chided.

"It was pretty bad. Everyone now thinks I give oral sex freely so I had several requests to 'suck off' almost every boy in school." She pretended to gag.

"And there was me, being offered it…" He smiled.

"You're different." She shunted him affectionately.

"I'm sorry to hear that, though" He added. "Any trouble?" He asked.

"Well Aidan had told everyone about us so now everyone is giving me grief for being with a Wildcat." She sighed, gripping his hand tighter unconsciously.

"Oh, you are with me, then?" He asked.

"I guess so. I guess if I have to go through all this then I may as well just date you and get some benefits from being called a Wildcat slag." She shrugged.

"Ouch." He winced.

"Mmm, ouch." She echoed, touching his bruised cheek gently, showing they both had battle scars.

"So, there's something I want to give you." Troy said as they reached her house and she squinted at him.

He reached up round his neck and unclasped his gold chain, the length of which dipped under his vest and carried a gold T that swung along the chain from a little loop.

He went to put it round her neck and hesitated, waiting for her to lift her hair and she did, meeting his gaze, her soft lips parted in shock.

"Your T?" She asked, confused.

"When the going gets tough, I'm there with you. Never forget that, beautiful. I'm with you through it all." He promised and she found a bemused smiled curling her mouth.

"I'm also accepting that I belong to you now…" She ventured, not sure how she felt about this.

His soft smile back surprised her. "Not if you don't want to."

"My squad are never going to let me live this down." She mused.

"You think my team will?" He asked back.

"I think, Troyby, that you underestimate the legend that is Gabriella Montez…"

--


	9. Chapter 9

**Eek. I get so nervous posting. But then I get amazing reviews. Thank you for that.**

**Enjoy.**

**Ang.**

**CHAPTER 9**

"So what's it like dude?" Max asked Troy as he stashed his books in his lockers.

"What's what like?" He wondered, frowning.

"Bedding the rival cheerleader. She's hot, right?" Max pursued and Troy sighed.

"I'm not gonna talk about it." Troy stated.

"Why not, I mean, she is one hot piece of ass, Troy. You got West High good and proper…" He winked largely.

"That's my girlfriend you're talking about when you say hot piece of ass, Max, just remember that huh?" Troy suggested.

"She give good head?" Chad called out down the hall and Troy tensed, turning. "She better give good head if she's worth losing your best mate over."

Troy's eyes turned a steely grey.

"I wonder if my 'best mate' will quit insulting my girl?" He asked aloud.

"How many times you wanna say it, Troy? We all know it's a big façade. As soon as we whip their ass in the last game, you won't care about their little slut." Chad challenged, walking up to Troy now, meeting his gaze.

"There's no pretending from me." He assured.

"No, but what about her? Did you ever think the joke is on you, Bolton? She's got you right where she wants you. One word from her and you'll be fighting anyone to protect her- where does that leave you for the game?" He wondered.

Troy squinted at him, hitching up his bag.

"She didn't ask me to fight anyone." He defended

"No, but you would. And don't for one minute think she isn't capable of the same as you- duping you to protect her own school." He planted the seed in Troy's mind and Troy tried to shake it free.

"She wouldn't do that." He said vehemently.

"Wouldn't she? Do you know why she left her old school?" Chad asked, not waiting for an answer. "It's not because her mom just decided to move this summer. It's because she was caught making out with the rival basketball team Captain." He lifted his brows, producing a photo.

"More than making out in fact, looks like she's fucking him silly in the back of his truck." Chad stated, handing the picture to Troy and patting his shoulder. "And when all hell broke loose…Little Miss Montez went riding off into the sunset, not seen for dust." Chad finished, walking away to homeroom, leaving Troy standing in the corridor, stunned and confused.

--

"What's he like then?" Kelsey asked Gabi as she assembled her squad, her usually pretty face marred with a frown and the insults echoing around the halls even when there were none.

"Not now, Kelsey." Gabi sighed, starting up the music and warming up.

"What, you don't wanna dance for me now?" She asked, facing her squad.

"You're sleeping with the enemy." Helen accused.

"Look, okay, I broke my rule, I fell in love. So what? I still want this trophy more than anything. I'm still a Bear." She assured them; frowning at herself for saying she was in love because she was sure that she wasn't.

Was she?

"You're wearing his necklace." Kelsey pointed out.

"So? Does that make me a Wildcat?" She challenged.

"Maybe."

"Oh, guys." Gabi sighed. "Come on, two days ago, you trusted me. I know I was hiding something, but you didn't doubt my passion for this team." She argued. "I've been seeing Troy since start of semester so just understand that it doesn't change anything." She begged.

"We know about your last school, Gabi. Someone told us you started a war between the two rival teams." Helen piped up and that's when Gabi's heart sank.

No. They couldn't know. Nobody knew about that except her and her mom…

Oh god, how could everyone have found out? Her worst nightmare; the night she had to fight for her life, her dignity. Twisted, turned, made out in the school paper like she was some kind of hussy that only slept with the rival team captain to cause trouble.

She'd been tricked into the photo, dragged into his truck, almost raped.

Gabriella Montez swore that no-one would ever see her break down. She was strong and tough and all that anyone needed to know of her that she was unbreakable.

But now she collapsed in tears, into a tiny shell of herself, sobbing her heart out as she realised her past had caught up with her and she couldn't hide who she was anymore than she already had.

--

The knock on her balcony window wasn't unexpected but she knew what she was opening her window to. She knew what accusations Troy was going to throw at her and she knew how he would be feeling right now. Because if the facts were put to her the other way round, she would believe the worst as well.

She opened the window and walked away, her tiny cheer shorts and Troy's Wildcat t-shirt keeping her warm as she balled up.

He didn't speak until he was inside, the window safely closed.

"Hey, that's my t-shirt." He said gently, surprising her.

Just get on with the shouting, she thought. I'd rather you just call me a bunch of names and go. Don't drag it out.

"Yeah, apparently I'm a Wildcat now." She said bitterly.

"Because you're dating one?" He asked, bemused, hands in pockets, attempting to get closer to her as he slowly edged toward the bed.

"Yeah, apparently." She repeated.

He nodded, sitting on the opposite side, seemingly pausing for a moment.

She looked over her shoulder at him, frowning.

"Ah, can I join you?" He asked nervously and she looked stumped.

"Why would you want to?" She asked as he unlaced his converse and rolled his legs up, spooning her on the bed, or at least trying to but she was balled up.

"Hey, relax, beautiful…" He encouraged, spreading his hand at her waist and she lengthened her body, letting him hold her a little.

"Don't call me that." She protested.

"Why, 'cause you're not?" He chuckled. "You got your period?" He wondered.

"You know what." She accused quietly.

"Oh. That. Some stupid article they got from your last school paper." He added, to make sure she was aware he had all the facts.

"Just get it over with, Troy. Ask for your necklace back; tell me I'm a slut- whatever." She begged.

"Whoa, wait a minute." He objected, brushing her hair back, trying to look into her face. "I'm not gonna ask for my necklace back, what are you talking about?" He asked.

"I know what you must be thinking." She sobbed and he had never heard the sound.

"Look at me." He said, touching her upper arm with a warm hand.

"No."

"Look at me, Gabi," he commanded.

She turned and studied his face. He had the cutest freckles along his cheeks and across his nose. His eyebrows were thick and commanding above his penetrating blue eyes. His brown hair almost covered his eye because it was so long and his soft, bowed lips pressed together as she waited for him to speak.

"You wanna know what I'm thinking?" He asked, his eyes intent on her face.

"I'm thinking, god but I have such a beautiful girlfriend and she hasn't told me half of her story, only the bits she wants me to know. I'm thinking, why didn't my girl tell me she was maybe raped in the back of some prick's truck as some kind of sick game between the basketball teams at her last school? I'm thinking, what can I possibly do to take that pain away and get her to trust again?" He murmured, stroking her hair, looking into her eyes.

"I wasn't raped" She offered in a small voice, placing her hands on his chest.

"But they attacked you didn't they?" He asked, rubbing her arm.

She nodded, not wanting to talk about it, not knowing what to say. Troy's concern for her was genuine and sweet but there really was nothing he could do to change what had happened.

She rolled off the bed and wrapped her arms around herself, looking out onto her patio.

"I know why you hate being touched, Gabi. I'm sorry that you had to go through that." He said softly as he approached her and hovered behind her.

"You're the only one who kept your promise." She smiled to herself, watching as the moonlight highlighted the tiniest movements outside her house.

"Because I'm in love with you." He admitted, his heart throbbing in his chest as she stared into the dark, not connecting with him, not acknowledging him.

Until she turned, her brown eyes wide with surprise.

"I didn't do anything." She frowned, wondering how he could possibly say that to her when all she did was tease him.

"Oh, but you did." He smiled, beamed even. She was confused but touched. And she knew she had fallen for him, too, because there was no-one else she would talk to like this. No-one else she would share with.

"I called you Troyby and turned you on." She scoffed.

He blinked, his eyes a soft baby blue. He stepped forward and brushed her cheek where she fiddled with her hands at chest level.

"Ok, you turn me on, I can't deny that. I'm not even going to try to because let's face it; it's not something I hide very well." He smiled into her face, tipping his head, making her smile back at him.

"I'm a tease." She acknowledged.

"But you also helped me- when I probably didn't deserve to be helped, when I couldn't prove I was genuine, you gave me the benefit of the doubt." He was genuinely grateful to her for her support.

She shrugged. "Anyone would have." She argued.

"No, they wouldn't. And we both know it." He added.

"You helped me, too. You told me to be careful, you protected me." She replied.

"You didn't need me to." He grinned at her and she smiled back, pressing her hands into his chest.

"Stay with me?" She begged and he lifted his eyes, his lips twisting as he thought about his answer.

"Do you promise not to seduce me?" He asked with smiley eyes.

"Nope." She said and walked away, making her bed tidy.

"Damn." He muttered, following her, sitting on the edge of her bed once more.

He unbuckled his jeans and slid them down his muscled legs to the floor, flipping his top over his head, leaving him in his boxers.

Gabi sat against her head board and waited for him to roll into bed, sliding down next to him.

"You look cute in my wildcats tee." He complimented.

"I just wanted to feel close to you." She admitted, pressing her hands against his bare chest. He loved to feel her hands there, against his skin.

"Can't get much closer." He joked softly, catching her in his arms and cuddling her.

"I can think of one way…" She whispered back, leaning her mouth to kiss him, the hesitant, tender kiss turning into something more desirable as they pressed into each other, barely clothed bodies rubbing with delicious friction.

"I wish you would quit rubbing my thigh like that…" He panted, pushing her back into the bed, his thigh between her smaller ones where she arched against him.

"But it feels so good…" She teased, feeling his lips crash down on hers once more, letting him climb between her parted legs as he pressed his needy arousal into her soft body.

Clutching at his muscled arms, she arched into his hips now, the friction so much hotter and more intense.

He let her pull her tee top up with slow precision, bending his head to drop warm kisses up her ribs, her soft moans at each touch hardening him even more.

The sight of his T nestling between her breasts reminded him starkly that she had given herself to him, in all ways but one. She still hadn't told him she loved him.

He wondered if it should matter to him, her skin was so sweet as he continued his worship and her nipple was budded for his lips as he sucked her there. But he had promised when he made love with her it would be because she wanted it- because she wanted him

And right now, he didn't know that she did.

Her hands were ruining his hair as she pulled his mouth ever closer to her breast and he found himself kissing back down her body, stopping at her shorts as he palmed her backside, his thumbs dipping under her waist band, ready to undress her.

"I promised, Gabi. I promised we would only do this if you wanted it…" He panted, arching into her as he gripped her hips and tried to hold his body back from the pleasure she could bring, even now.

"I want you, Troy." She assured, helping him remove her shorties, leaving her completely naked under his gaze which flickered over her, stunned, awed.

"It's not enough." He argued, even as he ran the back of his fingers up her thigh, brushing against her intimacy.

"What do you want?" She asked, touching her hands to his shoulders, down his taut back, lifting her hips and squirming for him to touch her where she needed it most.

"I want you to love me." He whispered, dipping his finger into her heat, giving into her at the very same time he wanted to stop. He wanted to stop this whole thing until their feelings matched, until he felt safe in sharing his body with her.

He couldn't live with having her walk away. He couldn't live with loving someone who didn't love him back.

She drove her hips upward as he flicked another finger into her dampness, kissing her lips to swallow her agonised moan.

"It's never been like this, Troy. Oh my god, I have _never_ felt like this." She murmured, striking her fingers back into his hair, pulling his mouth to hers for a messy, passionate kiss.

Her hips just kept shooting upward, seeking more, seeking his heat as he peeled down his boxers and shifted between her thighs again, ready to fulfil her.

She applied his sheath with care, smiling as she let her hands encompass him, feeling his need, seeing his gaze turn grey and desperate.

"Don't you know I am in love with you?" She whispered, letting his hands lift her hips to his own liking as he awkwardly entered her, his inexperience touching her as she felt his heat fill her deeply, completely, his face showing his utter relief.

His kiss was so gentle, so strong and she couldn't stop the frown that controlled her face as she tried to kiss him back with the same passion, the same urgency.

His thrusts were jerky, sometimes jabbing, but slowly, she guided him into a rhythm, whispering to him, encouraging him as he found a pattern and brought her body alive with his passionate strikes.

She couldn't remember what had started this, she didn't know where it would end, all she knew was that right now, joined with Troy in this most intimate way, nothing else mattered. She was wrong, cheerleading didn't matter at all. All that mattered was this, him and her, their shared love, their physical release, their bodies and souls becoming one.

Straining, groaning, sweaty and messy, she didn't care. Troy had finally got what he wanted. She belonged to him now, no-one else.

--


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Troy's arms went around her waist from behind her and she twined her fingers through his, lifting his hands to her cover her small breasts as his chin touched her shoulder.

"They're all yours now, Wildcat." She murmured, leaning back against his body, letting his hands cup her as she wound her fingers behind his neck, pushing herself further into his gentle touch.

"Mmm how I love that…" He smiled, brushing his thumbs over her nipples, feeling them harden at his touch. "Oh god, I have to go school…" He complained, pulling away, leaving her dishevelled and pouting playfully in her room.

"And so do you." He reminded her, knowing his wildcat tee was all that separated him from her tempting curves.

"School can wait." She said flippantly, walking over to him, kissing him and letting her hands mess his hair a little more.

He rolled his caress over her backside, moaning as she responded by wiggling her ass.

"Damn, Gabi…" He sighed, pulling away for certain this time, stroking a hand through his hair as he took some breaths.

"You started it." She bit her lower lip.

His gaze met hers under his lashes, hot, like he was burning her very soul with it.

"I have to go home or my mom will throw a fit." He mused, heading toward her balcony.

"Practise tonight?" She checked.

He turned, pulling her with one arm against his body, kissing her hotly.

"I'll come get you from school." He promised, not looking back as he jumped over the balcony and climbed down, leaving her speechless.

He couldn't come to West High, he'd be killed!

--

"Gabi…" Kelsey said shyly as she Gabi put her books into her locker at the end of the day.

"Yess?" Gabi questioned as she grabbed her things and gave her attention to the small brown-haired girl.

"We want you back. We want to do your routine and win the trophy." She said gently and Gabi frowned.

"You do?" She asked.

Kelsey nodded.

"You're right. You are in this to win for us and we want to go back to normal." She added.

Gabi nodded.

"Okay, see you tomorrow after school" She beamed, thinking that maybe things could get back on track after all.

--

Gabi knew the game between Wildcats and Bears was going to be tough. Even with Aidan on his best behaviour and Troy's team minus trouble-making Chad, the tension still lay thick as a carpet on the court.

She smiled as she remembered the last skate practise she and Troy had. They had managed to perfect the routine a few times- he'd even managed to concentrate without letting his hands wander. She'd even managed to resist kissing him…and then she'd started this impromptu pole dance, her eyes smiling as her body twisted and swung around the metal pole.

Once she'd come down and skated toward him, he'd caught her in his arms and kissed her in that inimitable way. The way that made her feel like she was the only girl alive and that the world paled into the background compared to the feel of his lips.

Hand in hand, they'd gone back to her house and reminded each other what it felt like to be wrapped up in only each other.

Her smile remained as Aidan flashed before her, jogging out onto the floor and she waited for her cue, dancing out onto the floor as the cheer squad took their positions.

She knew it was a well known fact that she and Troy were an item. She knew it was risky- she even knew that it would cause unnecessary tension between the two schools.

What she hadn't expected, was for someone to then test her temper by openly flirting with Troy. Right in front of her, at the basketball game, where everyone could see and measure her reaction.

Troy for his part, was resisting the obvious attack Melody was making on him. He kept removing her arms and reminding her softly that he had a girlfriend but it was becoming clear he was just being used as some kind of toy to fight over.

He knew Gabi had seen. He guessed she had worked out what was going on here and refrained from reacting, which was a small wonder.

But when Melody ran her hands up under his jersey, he saw the flash of dark hair before he even knew what was happening.

Gabi ripped Melody from his body by her hair, throwing her to the floor.

"That's my boyfriend you've got your hands all over!" She pointed out and Troy quickly restrained her from any further violence, holding her against his chest, her arms behind her.

"Whoa, there is some Wildcat in you…" He teased as she growled at Melody.

Melody merely stood from the floor with a knowing smile.

"See, I knew I could make her fight." She beamed, taking a twenty from one of the other cheerleaders.

Troy was aware of the looks they were receiving from pretty much every direction in the gym.

He turned Gabi in his arms, letting her go.

"I have to go play." He said, pressing his lips together.

Her hot brown eyes sparked with her unspent anger as they met his.

"Happy now?" She demanded.

"Hey!" He called as she walked away from him.

She folded her arms, cocking her hip.

"See, I do get jealous." She stated, eyeing Melody with a cold stare.

"They just want to split us up, Gabi. They just want to make us react." He pointed out, not sure if she was angry with him.

"Well, it worked." She allowed, then looked to her toes.

"I won't go out there 'til I know you're okay." He promised.

She cocked her head, caught between doing what her heart screamed at her to do and what the rest of the room screamed at her not to do.

"I'm fine." She said and turned, marching back to her side of the court, the crowd jostling to see what had happened.

Troy skipped a jog alongside her, on the court.

"Go away." She hissed, her head down.

"Not until you smile." He said, breaking into a jig that made the crowd around her laugh. She lifted her eyes from the ground, smiling at him despite her will not to acknowledge him.

It was stupid really. How was she supposed to pretend he wasn't her boyfriend? How was she supposed to act like she didn't care about him, about who touched him?

She licked her lips, stepping onto the court as she took his jersey into her small hands and bunched it, tip toeing to meet his mouth, kissing him in a way that left no doubt in anyone's mind as to their involvement. It was a claiming kiss, one that echoed their closeness away from the court.

"I don't ever want to see any girl touch you like that again." She murmured, brushing a hand into his hair, dropping back down and throwing him a sexy smile over her shoulder as she ran back to her squad, slowing as she waited for their reaction.

The whole crowd was going crazy on both sides. Wolf whistles, roars of approval, screams.

But no fights, Troy noted with interest. He lifted his brows, turning to his team as they got ready for face-off.

---

"I think it went pretty well." Troy stated.

They were in Gabi's back yard, after the game, the hammock a comfortable spot for them to relax at.

He had her tucked under his arm, stroking her curls with his fingers, their thighs touching.

She had crossed her legs and now her knee overlapped his as she played with the buttons on his shirt, giggling at his joke.

"Well no-one got in a fight, that's got to be something." She agreed, smiling at him under her lashes as his free hand stretched from behind his head to drop down and tickle her bare thigh.

"This Cheerleaders uniform, it's kinda sexy." He stated with a grin.

"I hope you don't say to all the Cheerleaders…" She arched her brow.

He feigned hurt. "Hey, would I ever?" He protested.

"I don't know…" She teased.

"Ah, but you see, there's only one Cheerleader who wears my necklace…" He narrated, turning his face to her as her palms flattened against his muscular chest.

"There is? And who is this ridiculously whipped girl?" She wondered, fakely.

He chuckled, squinting at her as he continued their role-play.

"Well I thought it was you, but I could be mistaken. So many girls, they all roll into one…" He teased.

She swiped him playfully.

"I only know one boy who makes me want to see if this hammock will hold up during some major make-out sessions…" She pointed out, seeing his pained expression as he tilted his head back, closing his eyes.

"Damn you get me hot just like that!" He clicked his fingers, returning them to his light caress of her thigh.

"Well apparently I'm not memorable…" She pressed her lips together sulkily.

When his blue eyes pierced hers, his lips curled at the edges.

"I only know one girl who has a damn hot ass and lets me touch it whenever I like." He returned and she laughed, knowing his words wouldn't be romantic, loving his directness.

He trailed his fingers up to her hip, gently pressing to bring her closer, twisting so he could curl his fingers over her backside, clad in athletic knickers.

Gabi dropped a kiss to his mouth, wriggling to get closer to him to extend their kiss, feeling the familiar surge of desire that she always had when he kissed her or touched her- or damn well just looked at her.

"Gabriella!" Mrs Montez called as they rolled apart, trying to look innocent in their sharing of the hammock.

Gabi leaned on her hand, her elbow pitched into Troy's shoulder to support her, smiling widely at her mum as her curls sat messed- from Troy's hands.

"Hi mom!" She said brightly, and then awkwardly climbed from the hammock, pulling Troy with her.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know you had a guest…." Julia Montez apologised.

"Mom, this is my boyfriend, Troy." Gabi introduced. "Troy, meet my mom."

Troy shook Julia's hand and smiled in what he hoped was a winning way as she smiled back. He swallowed nervously. Meeting the parents had never been his favourite part of dating.

"Well it's nice to finally meet you." Julia said warmly. "God knows I've heard your name enough round here the last few weeks. You're the first boy she's brought home, too." Julia said.

But Troy knew this wasn't true from Gabi's previous proclamations about how many boys she had sneaked into her room. But none of them had been introduced to mom.

He smiled inanely at Gabi as he caught her fingers between his and watched her stare at her mom, open mouthed.

"Gee, thanks, mom. Way to make me sound like a love-sick teenager." Gabi rolled her eyes, twitching next to Troy.

"Oh, stop." Julia teased. "You like the boy; he's no harm in knowing that."

"Wanna bet?" Gabi lifted her brows as she muttered under her breath.

"Are you staying for dinner, Troy?" Mrs. Montez asked.

"Ah- no, I have to get home, it's getting late." He explained.

"Ok, nice to meet you." Julia said and vanished inside again.

Gabi dropped his hand and stalked back over to the hammock, falling into it and sulking.

"Don't even think about it." She warned, knowing exactly what was going through his mind.

"What?" He said innocently, but he couldn't keep the biggest grin off his face as he trailed after her and stood before her scrunched up form.

"Boasting. Or bragging. Or some kind of _thing _to make me feel even more embarrassed than I already am." She warned.

He held out his hand, waiting for her to take it and he helped her up, cradling her in his arms, tickling her hair at her back with his fingers.

She braced her hands on his arms to try and keep some distance.

He looked into her eyes, tipping his face, nuzzling her nose so she did the same and then he kissed her with soft tenderness.

Gabi had never felt a kiss like it. It wasn't bruising or passionate or hot like their kisses normally were. In fact, it reminded her of their very first kiss.

His lips were so soft, so gentle. He was taking his time and she sighed into his embrace, relaxing, letting him lead her down this blissful road where their mouths slowly, slowly met time and again. There was a tingle running from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes and she didn't like the way she was giving into this attack on her senses. Her arms were now wrapped around his neck as he brought her close, still not pushing, still just tasting her.

He pulled away, his blue eyes smiling along with his mouth.

"Is that kind of _thing_ acceptable to you?" He teased and she blinked at him, in awe of that kiss.

"I suppose." She allowed sulkily.

He chuckled, hugging her and she actually found herself hugging him back for a moment.

"I wanna take you out." He said as she walked him to her gate to say goodnight.

"What?" She asked softly.

"Well we're official now, everyone knows about us. I think it's time I took you on a proper date." He stated.

"Troy, just because people know about us, doesn't mean they're going to like seeing us together. Melody already tested that theory." She reminded him.

"We can't hide, Gabi." He argued.

"We can. We have. We can keep on like this until we know; we really know that no-one is going to cause trouble." Se pointed out desperately.

His look at her under his lashes was telling. But she couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt.

"Ok, until the end of the year. I want to enjoy this summer with you." He promised.

"Ah, but you'll be at dance school." She smiled.

"Only if we win this competition." He smiled back.

"Better stop making out and start practising then." She teased, tiptoeing to kiss him once on the mouth.

"I don't think I could stop making out with you if I tried." He husked.

"I'll think of something to put you off." She decided and he kissed her once more before leaving, his mind drifting as he wondered what would happen if he did get the money for dance school.

He would be without Gabi.


	11. Chapter 11

**Mini chapter! And I wasn't going to post then I read the reviews and thought aww their so nice in their comments perhaps I will lol.**

**Ang x**

**CHAPTER 11**

"Hey Taylor!" Gabi greeted her friend as she walked into West High, a wide smile on her face.

"Hey Gabi. Wow that is one big grin you have there. Troy?" Taylor guessed.

Gabi flicked her eyes up.

"Well he is kinda cute." She allowed.

Taylor laughed, eyeing the warm glow that radiated from her friend.

"He's good for you." She decided.

Gabi linked her arm through Taylor's.

"You know, we've entered this skating competition together. I'd really love it if you came." Gabi broached.

Taylor's eyes widened.

"Oh my god, I'd love to!" She squealed, then calmed down.

"But no-one else can know." Gabi added and Taylor nodded.

"Have you got a date for the dance?" Taylor asked and Gabi shook her head.

"No, I can't exactly go with my boyfriend can I?" She said sadly.

"You're not going with someone else?" Taylor checked. "As friends?"

Gabi smiled softly. "I can just see Troy's face now!" She rolled her eyes.

Then she stopped walking to talk to her friend quietly.

"We promised each other, y'know." She explained.

Taylor nodded. "You should ask him. No-one is going to care anymore."

Gabi laughed at that. "Don't bet on it. It's one thing people knowing we're together, it's another if I blatantly shove it in their faces."

Taylor looked at her friend sadly.

"Then I hope you still go- you can hang out with me and Kelsey." Taylor offered.

"Of course I'm going, I have my dress already." Gabi beamed as they filed into school and headed for form room.

"So you gonna be my date or what?" Aidan asked and Gabi just stared at him coolly.

"Yeah, right." She said sarcastically as they packed up and headed out of their last class.

"So you're gonna go alone?" He said disbelievingly.

She shrugged. "My boyfriend doesn't go to this school so yeah, I think I will."

He laughed behind her.

"You don't know anything about Troy Bolton. He already has a date for his end of year dance." Aidan lifted a brow as she flashed him a look over her shoulder.

"You don't know what you're talking about." She relayed confidently.

"Oh sure, I don't know that he already bought two tickets." He continued and Gabi's smile faded.

"I'm sure there's some reason you'd like to split us up, Aidan but it's not going to happen." She assured him, secretly wondering if what he had said was true and if it were, who in the heck was he going to his dance with?

She headed out of school, frowning at Aidan's words as she headed home to change for skate practice.

--

Troy noticed Gabi was wearing her sweats with her little racer back vest as she skated toward him, her strong thighs propelling her, her curvy waist drawing his gaze and holding it.

He frowned bemusedly as she did three laps before even getting to him, when he had hoped to be kissing her by now.

"Hey! Beautiful! Wanna come say hi to your boyfriend?" He asked.

She skated over, still deep in thought, resisting him when he bent to kiss her.

"What's wrong?" He wondered, flicking his gaze over her face, worriedly.

"I don't want to sound all possessive and weird…" She began, her brown eyes huge and showing hurt.

He couldn't fathom it. Why was she looking at him like that? He would never hurt her.

"Tell me." He insisted, swallowing.

"Someone told me you bought two tickets for your school dance. Like you were taking a date." She frowned, a little crease appearing on her forehead.

"Oh Jesus…" Troy swore softly, pulling her into his chest. "It was meant to be a surprise…" He sighed, pulling back.

She looked at him confusedly, cocking her head. She inadvertently began to rub the T on his necklace nervously and he smiled gently, taking her hands as he looked right into her eyes.

Even with her hair scraped back, make up smudged and wearing what she considered to be her unsexiest clothes, he still loved her more than any other girl.

"I bought a ticket for you." He said nervously, licking his lips.

Her dark eyes darted to his, her mouth parting in shock.

"Wh…You…I…" She stuttered and he cupped her face.

"I wanted to ask you to be my date…I was going to do it after our last practice…A kind of gesture to show that wasn't the end for us. That I'm prepared to fight for us." He explained, twisting his lips, wondering now if he had done the wrong thing.

"Oh my gosh. I can't believe you did that, Troyby." She smiled her feline smile at him then.

"Did you really think I was gonna take someone else?" He asked, feigning hurt.

She shrugged. "I thought maybe…Maybe there was another girl you might like to go with." She ventured.

"I don't want to dance with anyone except you." He promised, kissing her now, feeling her sweet kiss back as she touched his face.

"Me too." She added shyly, and then skated away from him with a giggle, leaving him to chase her around the court until they settled into practise.

The final move, Gabi's split, they both panted with exertion as he helped her up.

His fingertips ran down her spine as he held her, resting his hands in the curve of her lower back as she planted her hands on his t-shirted chest, his wildcat's emblem sitting proudly.

"Will you go to my dance with me, Gabi?" He asked, brushing back an escaped curl from her bun.

Her fingers ran up his body, twisting at his neck, soon finding his hair and getting lost in the strands.

"If it doesn't cause world war three…" She hedged.

"Will you go to my dance with me?" He asked again, his thumb tracing her cheek.

Gabi looked into his eyes, knowing this was his ultimate question, her ultimate test.

"Yes." She replied certainly, smiling as a slow grin split his face, flashing his teeth and his dimples.

"Yes!" He cheered loudly, picking her up and spinning her around as she squealed.

"Troy!" She protested, feeling dizzy.

"Oh, hey, sorry, beautiful." He apologised, letting her down in his strong arms, kissing her as she came to his level and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissing him back.

"Oh, if it isn't Love's young dream." Chad commented drily and both Gabi and Troy turned to see him leaning on the side of the tennis court, arms folded.

"What do you want, Chad?" Troy asked, letting Gabi down to the ground, taking her hand as they faced his ex-best friend.

"You really think you can take her to the dance and not cause a fight?" He challenged.

Troy nodded, feeling Gabi's other hand wrap around his wrist as she edged closer to him and he could feel her tremble.

Looking down on her, he sighed.

"Yeah I do." He answered.

"You don't think Aidan and his gang are going to want to take back what's theirs and punish you- all of us- for being with her?" Chad lifted his chin to Gabi, the way he said 'her' made Troy's temper rise a little.

"I don't belong to Aidan." Gabi spoke up.

"You think he thinks that?" Chad argued, coming closer.

"Aidan isn't the one telling us not to go." She pointed out.

"I see you round here, skating, doing whatever." He squinted. "You know, Bolton. You sure did get the catch didn't you? I mean, Gabriella Montez. Well known for putting out, her reputation is legendary." He continued to rile.

Troy went to skate forward but Gabi's hand stopped him.

"Let's go, Troy." She commanded.

"Yeah, let's go, Troy. Let's do exactly as the little lady tells you." Chad laughed again.

Troy broke away from Gabi this time and went for Chad, grabbing him by the collar.

"What is your problem, Danforth?" He asked.

Chad merely smiled.

"I don't have one. I just had to get you away from her long enough so I could finally get what I wanted…" He beamed and Troy turned, seeing Gabi being held by Jason, fighting him with all her might.

"Don't fucking touch me!" She warned, struggling against his arms.

Troy looked between Chad and Jason, not sure who to go for first.

"I'm gonna kill you…" Troy said with a menacing smile, reaching back to punch Chad in the face.

Chad stumbled back, smiling as he threw a returning punch, but little known to Troy that he had a metal knuckle duster protecting his hand, knocking him out as the blow hit him, leaving him unconscious in the tennis court, Gabi alone and frightened as the two boys dragged her away, screaming.


	12. Chapter 12

**THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU**

**I have been so miserable this week I had a massive allergic reaction to a wasp sting and then a migraine ******** You never fail to cheer me up.**

**CHAPTER 12**

Gabi ran as fast as she could back to the park.

She couldn't see Troy anywhere and she panicked slightly at the thought of what could have happened to him.

Even the memory of his body, lying there, not moving, filled her with fear. What if he was really hurt? What if Aidan had found him and taken him off somewhere?

She'd had her own nightmare to deal with, fighting off both Jason and Chad but she wasn't going to let either of them hurt her, or Troy. She just had to get to Troy.

Her lungs burning with her exertion, her feet bare and sore from having no shoes, her skates taken from her by Chad. She sighed and began a slower walk towards Troy's house.

She was tired, she was aching from where they had held her and she was a total mess, but she had to know he was ok. He just had to be ok.

She knocked on the Bolton's door, praying against all odds that he was here and everything was going to be fine.

"Oh, Gabriella…" Lucy said, startled at her appearance.

"Is he here Mrs. Montez? Please tell me he's here?" Gabi demanded straight off.

"He's here" She confirmed and she saw him then, on the sofa as she looked past Lucy and into the living room.

She burst into tears at the sight of him and Lucy stepped back from the door, supporting her inside where she collapsed to her knees on their carpet.

"Gabriella, what on earth happened? Troy's dad is out looking for you…" She frowned as she gently stroked the small girl's shoulders.

"There was a fight…Oh god; I thought he was hurt, I really thought they had hurt him!" She cried and Lucy tried to help her up, not quite sure what to do with the sobbing girl.

"I'm going to call John and then I'm going to call the police." Lucy stated as Gabi sniffled and sat on the edge of the sofa, wincing as she took in the deep bruise on Troy's cheek, his face set so perfectly in his unconsciousness.

Trembling, she reached out and touched his forehead, tracing his eyebrows, his lips.

"We should get you cleaned up." Lucy murmured as she came into find Gabi lying against her son's chest, still sobbing, seemingly needing his arms to comfort her.

"Is he…?" She asked fearfully, her brown eyes wide.

"He's going to be ok. The doctor checked on him, he has concussion is all." Lucy assured her, taking the small, frightened girl up stairs to run her a bath.

"I don't have many clothes that would fit you, you're so tiny." Lucy smiled gently. "But here's some of Troy's sweatpants and t-shirt."

Gabi nodded, feeling like she was in a dream. An actual dream. Had all of that just really happened?

Had Chad really just knocked Troy out and grabbed her, intending to rape her?

Had she really fought back on both boys, injuring them –possibly permanently she thought with a smile as she remembered grabbing Chad's genitals and not holding back on the damage she exacted?

It all seemed like a crazy nightmare. And here she was, bathing in Troy's house, with his mum downstairs, welcoming her into her home.

Clean, hugging herself in Troy's comfy clothes, the pants loose on her hips, she padded back down to the living room. A waft of cooking smell hit her and she smiled, thinking how much it reminded her of being home, with her mom.

She quickly dialled her home number, biting her nail as she sureptously watched Troy, still sleeping.

"Mom, it's Gabi." She said quickly.

"Oh my child!" Julia said with relief. "John just told me what was happening and that Lucy has called the police, I'm coming back with him now." She assured.

Gabi closed her eyes, painfully.

"Well, okay…" She said, the phone going dead as she stared at it. A movement in the corner of her eye brought her attention back to Troy.

He twitched his arm, rubbing his eye tiredly. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him, but she didn't want to crowd him too soon.

"Mom?" He called out huskily, fidgeting on the sofa.

"I'm here." Gabi said, slowly walking over, her face painted with concern.

"Oh my…Gabi!" He exclaimed, and then winced, touching his head.

She covered her mouth with her hand, pausing a few feet away from him.

"Oh, you're still hurt." She warned quickly. "I'll just stay here." She suggested.

"No you damn well won't…" He muttered crossly, his blue eyes reaching hers, confused, but still intense.

"You have concussion…" She offered, too afraid to move.

"Come here…" He begged, holding up his arm, then dropping it as it became too much.

"I can't." She argued.

"Come here, Gabi." He asked again, this time reaching for her leg and almost touching her.

She stepped forward, aching to touch him, to hold him, not knowing if she should or if it might make him worse.

His hand curled around her calf, his thumb brushing her skin as she hesitated.

"I want to hold my girl." He stated very slowly, his voice raw.

She couldn't deny him, she closed the gap, sitting on the sofa, threading her arms around his neck and holding onto him tightly, trying to stop the racking sobs that were breaking free.

"Oh my beautiful girl, what did they do to you?" He wondered, stroking her hair, holding her the best he could. He brought her against his chest, cradling her, not knowing what to do other than hold her because he had never seen her so torn- so hurt.

"I was so afraid, I thought you were hurt, really hurt!" She said, pulling back, laying her hands on his chest.

"I'm okay, I'm tough." He tried to smile, wincing again.

"I thought maybe Aidan had got to you or that they'd come back and…" She panicked, her eyes flitting over him, making sure he truly was ok.

His large hand brushed her cheek and she turned her face into it, her tears dropping from her chin into his palm.

"What did they do? Did they hurt you? I'm gonna fucking kill them…" He warned.

She shook her head. "They didn't hurt me." She promised.

"Did they…" He paused, the words difficult to say. He swallowed, looking right into her eyes.

"Did they touch you?" He asked, not wanting to hear her answer because he knew it would kill him if they had. He was supposed to protect her! He couldn't even do that.

"No, Troy." She swore. "They picked the wrong girl to kidnap." She offered, smiling a little.

He squinted, confusedly.

"They didn't…You're ok?" He checked.

She nodded. "I fought them off. I'm ok. I don't know about Chad though…" She bit her lip, flicking her eyes to him again and he couldn't help the relieved grin that met his mouth, before he remembered that hurt.

"Oh my god! You are amazing!" He awed.

"I'm glad your safe, Troyby." She added, lifting her hand to remove his fringe from his eyes.

"Is that voices I hear?" Lucy said as she came back in, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

"Yes, mom." Troy confirmed and she beamed at him.

"You're awake then!" She said brightly, seeing Gabi lying in his arms on the sofa.

"I'm awake." He nodded.

"Are you hungry?" She asked, hesitating in the doorway.

He nodded again and Gabi sat up, moving away as he shifted up on the sofa.

"You bet." He smiled, wincing again and cursing himself.

As he stood, he grabbed his mum for a hug and Gabi smiled shyly at the scene, feeling like she was interrupting a family moment.

The door opened and John came in with Julia, who ran to Gabi and caught her up in her own hug, Gabi blushing at the show of affection.

"Gabriella what happened?" Her mom asked, taking in her child's tired face, her tear-stained cheeks. "Where are your clothes?" She asked.

"Oh, Mrs. Montez, I loaned her some of Troy's old clothes." Lucy piped up quickly. "She was a bit of a mess when she got here…" She sighed and Troy's sharp gaze went to Gabi as he sat back on the sofa, eyeing her acutely.

"It was nothing…" Gabi assured, not wanting to upset Troy.

"Her feet were bleeding where she'd been running with no shoes and her top was ripped…" Lucy carried on, taking Julia around the shoulders, leaving Gabi to duck her mom's embrace and sit next to Troy, nervously placing her hand on his knee.

"I'm fine, Troy." She re-iterated.

"They ripped your top?" He asked quietly, meeting her eyes, his blue depths broken and hurt.

He reached out his hand and covered hers with his larger one, aching inside as she flipped her hand so she could twine her fingers with his.

"When I tried to escape…I promise, they didn't touch me, okay?" She asked again.

Another knock came at the door and the police were led in, Gabi by this time tired and distraught at the evening's events.

She lay against Troy's arm as the police finished up with their parents. He shifted his arm to encompass her shoulders, pulling her close.

"Where's your necklace?" He asked, spotting it was missing from around her neck.

Gabi sighed, dropping her gaze.

"They took it." She whispered, barely able to say the words, hoping he wouldn't notice.

"They took your necklace?" He raged, sitting up, wincing again.

"It's just a thing Troy. We can get another one." She touched his knee, begging. "I don't need a necklace to tell anyone how I feel about you."

"I can't believe they took your fucking necklace…" He muttered angrily as Lucy and Julia came back over, John still with the officer.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked.

"Not really, no." Troy said, tensing. "They stole the necklace I gave to Gabi. The one I gave her when we went steady." He bit out and Gabi shrugged at the women, feeling Troy's arm slip around her waist.

"I said we can get a new one…" Gabi offered, stroking Troy's hair at his neck to try and soothe him.

"I have just the thing!" Lucy said and vanished upstairs where Gabi frowned.

"Are you coming home tonight, Gabi?" Julia asked softly, seeing her daughter so closely bonded with her boyfriend and not wanting to part them.

Gabi looked at Troy, willing him to meet her gaze.

"It's up to you, boyfriend." She asked.

He pressed his lips together.

"I'd like Gabi to stay. Would that be ok, Mrs Montez? I just want to make sure she's okay." He added.

"Ok, I'll pick you up tomorrow, Gabi." Julia smiled and bid goodnight to the Bolton's just as Lucy came down the stairs with whatever she was looking for.

"Ok, here we go…" Lucy said and held out a small ring, a gold band which had a tiny ruby in it.

"Mom, this is your engagement ring…" Troy frowned.

"Well no, actually it's my promise ring. I don't have an engagement ring." She smiled softly. "But your father gave me this when we were in High School and if it fits, Gabi, you're quite welcome to it."

Gabi smiled and took the ring, slipping it onto her finger.

"It's beautiful Mrs. Bolton, are you sure it's okay?" She asked and Lucy nodded, touching her knee.

"Absolutely. Now let's get some dinner before we all starve…" She suggested getting up and going out to the kitchen.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for the comments, pointers, honest opinions and the love :)**

**CHAPTER 13**

Troy's fingers danced lazily across Gabi's back, trailing the bare skin between where his t-shirt rode up her body and his trousers slung low on her hips.

She was comfortably ensconced on his chest, hands down; face buried into his neck, cradled by his other hand that wasn't tickling her skin.

She let out a contented sigh that reached him deep inside and he fidgeted, trying to abate his arousal before she was aware of it.

He didn't want to ruin this moment for anything. Actually catching Gabi long enough to hold her like this was a miracle- one he would not give up easily.

"It's too late, I can feel it." She commented on a sexy murmur.

"Sorry." He pressed his hand against the bare expanse of skin at her lower back to re-enforce his apology, before his fingers returned to their strokes.

Gabi had never known such soft, teasing touches could make her want someone so badly. But then, when it came to Troy, nothing much surprised her anymore. From that first time he had danced with her, something had been different with him. Something she still couldn't define.

"It's okay." She murmured, touching his chest to show she meant it.

"It's those clothes you have on…way too sexy." He returned, his sleepy voice still amused.

"Your baggy old track bottoms?" She lifted her face now, her naturally dried hair wild around her and he lifted his roaming hand to touch it, smiling.

"They are barely staying on your hips, Gabi. Hips that happen to be the most delicious hips I ever saw." He added.

She squinted. "If you weren't so cute, Troyby, I would have slapped you long ago for saying something like that."

"What else do you like about me?" He fished, cuddling her close.

"Mmm." She considered this, his arms tight around her back as she bent her knees and kicked her feet up.

"Take your time now…" He teased, his eyes alight with amusement.

"You have sexy arms, Bolton." She allowed.

"Oh really, huh?" He grinned, dropping it as it once again hurt him. But he still lifted his arm from her back and showcased his biceps. "Like that huh?" he wiggled his brows.

"Those girls were right, too." She smiled into his face. "You _are _amazing in bed."

"And she kills the invalid!" He dramatised, rolling around in pretend pain.

"Oops." She feigned innocence.

"What do you think will happen to them?" Gabi asked of Chad and Jason.

"I don't know. But they better not touch you again…" He warned, tensing.

"Shh…" She soothed, brushing down his fringe.

"I love you." He said then, out of the blue, touching her face.

"I love you, too." She said back, letting him hold her in the same embrace, on the sofa, until they both fell asleep.

--

There were a few surprised looks, some murmurings and even some outright gasps, but Gabi didn't care as she held Troy's hand with a tight grip, walking up to the gates of West High with him, where he had vowed to escort her every morning and every night after school.

"I'll see you tonight." He said, squinting at Aidan as he passed them.

Gabi leaned up to kiss him, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck.

"I'm looking forward to it." She smiled in her sexy-teasing way and connected up with Taylor.

He smiled as he watched her head for class, her shirt-dress leaving him little to imagine as her perfect thighs peeked out from underneath the short hem. He smiled as he remembered their night together, where they just slept; holding each other, reassuring themselves that each was ok. That nothing would break them.

And Troy hoped that were true as he fought to keep his anger in check.

--

Troy stalked the halls of East High like the namesake of their basketball team, his body tensed with his unspent emotions.

"Yo, dude! Wait up!" Max called and grabbed his shoulder.

He swirled, pinning him with his icy glare.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" He frowned, taking in his bruised face.

"Chad and Jason decided to take a shot at me- and Gabi." Troy supplied.

"Oh man, that's sick. Are you ok?" He checked and Troy sighed, hitching up his bag.

"Not really. If I see either one of them I don't know what I might do." He said honestly.

"Look, I'm with you on this, they shouldn't have hurt you." Max agreed, trying to placate him.

"They tried to rape my girlfriend." Troy bit out, shaking his head as a headache started from his tensing up.

Max's mouth formed an 'o' as he realised the extent of Chad and Jason's attack.

"Oh, shit, dude." Max exclaimed.

"So you can imagine I'm not a happy bunny right now." Troy added, grimacing.

"You're out of the game? Until you're better?" Max checked and Troy nodded, knowing it also left him unable to practise, the skate competition speeding toward them with increasing urgency.

"Look, the rumour is they got suspended. You won't have to face them round here." Max assured.

"I wanted to bring her to the dance- is that so bad?" He asked, almost to himself.

"Who, Gabi?" Max checked.

Troy gave him a look under his lashes. "Of course, Gabi."

"Hey that's not bad at all; I'd love to see that chick in a dress…" Max smiled and Troy pinned him with another glare.

Max held up his hands in surrender. "I'm just saying, dude. Your girl is hot."

"She's more than a pretty girl, Max." Troy chided.

"I'm sure she is." He agreed solemnly.

"She won't want to come now, it's all ruined!" Troy cursed, hitting out at a locker.

"Not necessarily. Just make your own dance- just take her out of danger, man." Max suggested with a light shrug and Troy's eyes lit up, thinking he might actually be onto something.

"Max, I never thought I'd hear myself saying this- but you are a genius!" Troy commended and sprinted off, leaving his friend bemused in the hallway.

--

"Are you sure you still want to do this thing?" Gabi asked, hanging off Troy's hand as they walked home to her house. She was climbing on the brick wall below the railings running next to them, her body tipped over and using his for a weight to stop her falling.

"One hundred per cent." He answered.

"Well the doctors will tell you when it's okay to start exercising again, right?" She checked, looking to her boyfriend with a concerned squint.

"I remember this girl, her name was Gabriella Montez. I swear, she was the craziest girl I knew. Then one day, aliens took over her body and she started worrying about _everything._" He teased, moving to tickle her around the waist.

He helped her down from the wall, taking her fingers in his once more.

"I can't help but worry. Someone tried to hurt you…" She defended.

"But I'm _fine. _And you're fine. And you hate me for thinking about it all the time…" He pointed out and she smiled.

"In that case, can I just say, for the record, you look hot today." She announced with a proud beam.

He stopped, tipping his chin as his brows rose in surprise.

"What was that?" He asked.

"I said you look hot." She repeated, letting her eyes flick down his body, from his blue plaid shirt to his dark denim jeans and his battered converse that he loved so much.

"Wow. I never heard you say that before, I'm in shock, or something." He crossed his brows bemusedly.

She giggled, playfully hitting him in the chest where he brought her tightly into his body.

"Don't be nasty." She chided.

"Oh no, I'm only nice…" He husked, leaning down to kiss her, their lips meeting and joining in the middle of the street, no care as to who could see them now.

"I don't think nice covers it…" She smiled, pulling him behind her as she walked more quickly, reaching her house and throwing her bag in the doorway, leading him up the stairs as she climbed up backwards, smiling at him.

"You can still make out, right? The doctors didn't ban you from that?" She checked.

"I'm sure I can try…" He mused as they disappeared into her room.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for the comments as always xx**

**CHAPTER 14**

"This is our very last practice!" Gabi announced brightly as she skated into the tennis court, her cardigan caught on the iron opening which she unhooked and faced Troy. He looked handsome in his carpenter shorts and a grey t-shirt, already skated up.

He also looked sad; Gabi couldn't help but wonder why. She skated up to him, placing her hands on his chest.

He looked down on her petite form, seeing she was wearing her short black shorts and a white vest under the cardigan.

"What's up, Wildcat?" She asked.

"After the skate competition I won't have an excuse to sneak a feel of your ass." He said sadly.

She flicked her gaze up, pleasantly surprised by his comment.

"We can do this once a week, just to reminisce." She promised.

He cupped her behind, dipping his head to kiss her.

"Well that makes me feel a little better…" He smiled, tracing her delicate features with his fingers.

"Are you worried about something? About us?" She wondered.

He shrugged. "Maybe. If I go to dance school, that's three weeks without you." He admitted.

Gabi couldn't repress her smile.

"The skate comp is in three days. You have your end of year dance tomorrow. Look on the bright side." She said.

"Three weeks without your amazing ass. That's depressing." He pressed his lips together as she tugged on his hand playfully. Gabi rolled her eyes.

"You know, Bolton, anyone would think you only want me for my backside." She commented, skating away from him.

"Never…" He smiled, following her.

"Sometimes a girl needs reminding there's more to her than her 'amazing ass'" she quoted, resisting his hands.

"Hey! I seem to remember you telling me all I was good for was making out last night." He objected.

She pursed her lips. "That's my version of being romantic." She defended.

"You want romantic?" He asked, catching her finally, pulling her into his chest as she faced away, his arms wrapping around her belly to hold her hips into his groin.

"It's nice sometimes…" She teased, arching a brow.

"Okay, well, you like spoiling my surprises, but…I'm not going to the dance on Friday. I have something planned for us instead." He said, feeling his body react to being so close to her.

He sighed. Every time! Every time he even got within five feet of her, she had him hard. She turned, touching his belly through his top, feeling his sigh and wondering the cause of it.

"Are you okay?" She checked.

"Yeah, you just get me every time, beautiful." He admitted.

"And you get me." She pointed out, a cheeky glint in her eye as she led him away from the tennis court.

"Where are we going?" He asked, nervously.

"Oh, just somewhere I know." She said mysteriously.

"Gabi…" He begged.

"I want to please you, is that so wrong?" She asked, flicking a look down to his bulging jeans.

"Here? In the park?" He wondered aloud.

She merely giggled and led him away but it wasn't the park she had in mind. They ended up in his tree house, the sturdy frame hiding them from the rest of the world as they came together, softly.

Their passion had been crashing, grinding, at times so desperate he wondered if he ever hurt her during their lovemaking; but not today.

Today she laid her mouth on his so gently, like the whisper of a touch and her hands began to undress him as he looked around, wondering where they could get comfy.

"Wait, here…" He said, breaking from her to pull out his bean bag, gesturing for her to go down on it.

"You sit." She commanded.

"Nuh-uh," he shook his head.

"You sit, I'll straddle." She said and this time he lifted his brows in agreement.

"Gabi…" He began as she undid her shorts and wriggled out of them, peeling her panties away too, right before him where he reached for her.

"Yes Troyby?" She asked breathily, kneeling down across his thighs, stripping off his t- shirt, her small hands enjoying the expanse of his chest.

"How did I ever get so lucky?" He wondered then, capturing her mouth once more as his firm hand cupped the back of her head and brought her lips to his, her whimper of submission accompanying her hands against his chest.

"I guess you just are…" She murmured, her hands going to his belt buckle, stripping down his jeans, then his boxers, her gaze lingering on his arousal.

He licked his lips, reaching for her, peeling off her vest, letting his fingers soak in her curves, his mouth swallowing her sighs as she vocalised her desire.

Removing her bra, he kissed her all over, sucking her nipples one at a time, slowly winding his tongue over the hard peaks, gently palming her.

His tenderness was striking just as her gentleness was and they both looked at each other in wonder, almost in shock.

"This is love, right?" He asked, almost unsure as to the feeling whirling in his belly as she sat across him, ready to take him into her dark secrecy.

She smiled at him, sinking him into her hot intimacy, reaching out to stroke his chest as he threw his head back and moaned, grasping at her thighs with delicate insistence.

"This is love." She confirmed, taking him to heaven and back with her curvy body.

--

Troy looked around his childhood safe haven and smiled as he thought about how it would now hold a whole new meaning for him. One that went much deeper than becoming blood brothers with Chad or having his first kiss.

His fortress would now be the place that he truly fell in love.

Gabi stirred in his encircling embrace, smiling softly at him. They were dressed now, contently wrapped up together, sleepy and loved.

"So on Friday…" He began, feeling Gabi shirk from his arms, tipping his head as she did so.

"On Friday…" She led, straightening her clothes, patting down her hair self-consciously.

"Meet me at the old station, at the shed we used for practice. I have something I want to show you." He said.

Her lashes flicked down, covering her eyes.

"Can I…Can I come with you? I don't know if I can walk alone yet." She hedged and he frowned, hating seeing his strong, independent girl look so vulnerable.

"That's what I meant." He adjusted quickly, to relieve her worry. "Pssh, as if I would even make you do that." He joked.

She smiled. "What should I wear?" She asked becomingly.

"Something nice. Maybe a dress." He hinted and she squinted at the same time she smiled.

"How long will I be wearing it?" She mused.

"As long as you like." He returned.

She giggled. "Okay. Pick me up then, 8 o'clock?" She checked.

"Sure thing. You wanna cuddle some more?" He asked hopefully, stretching his arms out for her to curl back into him.

"No, I should go…" She sighed. "My mom's been all weird since we got attacked." She rolled her eyes.

"So she should." He answered knowing he hadn't seen either Jason or Chad around and thanking his lucky stars because if he did, all hell would break loose.

"You gonna drive me, or I gotta hitchhike?" She asked, getting up.

"Can you pretend to hitchhike with me? That'd be kinda sexy…" He teased as she climbed down from his tree house, her laugh making him happy.

"You are such a weirdo." She accused, scampering across his lawn to his truck.

--

"Hey…" Troy greeted as Gabi came to her door, his jaw hitting the floor at the dress she had on, not sure where he should look first.

It was black and long and covered her whole body but it was silk and silhouetted her curves perfectly. The front was a low V, as was the back, showcasing most of her upper body, hinting at her small, but perfect breasts beneath.

Her hair was straightened, laying either side of her shining face which he just loved looking at, no matter what form it took. Her eyes were dark, lined with black, adding to her sleek, sexy look.

"Sorry, no legs." She apologised, flicking her keen gaze over his tuxedo, noting he still hadn't lost his favourite shoes. She smiled at that, biting her lip.

"…Beautiful." Troy finished his intended greeting, letting out a breath as he continued to stare.

"Stop looking at me like that." She admonished and it reminded him of the night he had snuck into her room.

"Like what?" He teased in return.

"Like you just saw Angelina Jolie or something…" She complained.

"You know what?" He asked, stepping forward, bracing his hands at her small waist.

"Angelina Jolie has nothing on you" He complimented. "She doesn't have your ass for a start…"

"Oh boy." She rolled her eyes, and then called behind her. "I'm off now, mom!"

"Okay be home by midnight!" She called back, then appeared behind Gabi. "Look after her, Troy." She asked nervously and he nodded solemnly, knowing he had let them both down before but he wasn't going to let that happen again.

"Oh mom!" Gabi complained lightly, taking Troy's hand. "Let's go Troyby." She instructed, practically dragging him to his truck.

The shed was nothing like she remembered it to be. There were pretty lights hanging from the ceiling, streamers, soft music playing.

Troy had set up a table with a picnic basket, some wine in a metal bucket.

"You got alcohol!" She said with shock and he chuckled.

"My mom won't even notice, she has a whole stash…" He grinned, watching her pretty face light up as she took in his simple decorations.

"This is amazing." She said, awed, turning to him. "See, you _are_ romantic."

He shrugged, taking her hand once more. "When it matters."

"Let's dance!" She enthused, standing opposite him, letting him hold her firmly, and swishing around the floor with him.

"I'm not very good yet, hopefully I'll be better after three weeks of intense lessons." He smiled sheepishly.

Her hand wound into his hair at his neck. "This is perfect, Troy." She said, shushing him.

"I can't believe the competition is only a few days away…I'm so nervous." He admitted.

"We've worked so hard, it's gonna be amazing." She assured him.

"Where do get your faith in me?" He wondered, smiling bemusedly.

"You never give up." She pointed out.

"Nor do you." He argued.

"Ah yes, but I am Gabriella Montez. I have a reputation remember? Not always a good one…" She said drily.

"You've never been anything but beautiful to me." He said softly, stopping their dance, taking her closer to kiss her.

"Don't you have the semi-finals next weekend?" She asked curiously.

He nodded. He was allowed back on the court and he was playing for the Wildcats again, having beaten the Bears twice to get there.

"Yes, Troy Bolton, basketball hero." He teased of himself.

"Can I share with you?" She asked with interest.

"Well I don't know…" He began. "They normally put us all in a hotel and all those cheerleaders…I'm bound to end up shacked up with one of them…"

"Me?" She suggested hopefully.

He grinned, touching his forehead to hers.

"Well I suppose I should, seeing as I love you an' all." He quipped.

"Don't strain yourself on my behalf…" She murmured back, their lips closing in.

"I already did that enough times…" He goaded and she giggled, kissing him finally.

"I'll pack my sexy underwear." She rolled her top lip over her bottom one, leaving his arms to get some strawberries.

"And she leaves me like this-again…" He complained to the ceiling, arms outstretched in his loss.

"Quit moaning and come over here, Bolton." She instructed and he joined her at the table for food as they fed each other and shared soft smiles.


	15. Chapter 15

**Fluff chappie sorry!**

**CHAPTER 15**

Panting heavily, burning with their exertion, Troy lifted Gabi from her final pose and waited for the crowd to applaud their routine at the competition.

He smiled as the cheering began and Gabi felt a rush run up her body from the excitement of it all.

She turned to Troy, jumping up and linking her arms at his neck as he caught her and supported her weight against him.

"You were amazing!" She said and kissed him.

"I couldn't have done it without you." He replied, letting her down and they skated off hand in hand.

A slow clapping came from ahead of them and Troy took a breath as Chad appeared before them, a smirk across his face, knowing exactly what Troy would do.

"You bastard!" Troy yelled and went for him, grappling him to the floor, punching him in the face.

"Oh shit…" Gabi panicked, trying to grab Troy or Chad and stop the fight before anyone saw, but it was too late, security were wading in and they pulled Troy away from Chad.

He was lying, bloodied, staring at his old friend.

Gabi flicked her gaze between them, seeing Troy's tense body and afraid to touch him.

"You're going to have to leave." The security guard said to Troy and Chad, lifting his chin toward the exit, escorting them out.

Troy shook his head at Chad, throwing his arms out.

"You just had to cross the line didn't you?" Troy shouted. "Why did you do it, Chad? Why did you go for my girl?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"She's hot." He shrugged and Troy flew for him again, tackling him down, pinning him to the floor.

"What ever happened to blood brothers?" Troy demanded and Chad screwed up his face.

"That all went out the window the day you chose her over your team- over your friends." He added.

"No-one else has a problem with us- apart from you." Troy argued.

"She was gonna be mine, Bolton. You just had to get in my way." Chad snarled.

"You make me sick! Just get outta here before I really rip you apart." He threatened.

"But I haven't said hi to your girlfriend yet…" Chad riled, receiving another fist in the face from Troy.

"You even get within thirty yards of her; I swear to God, you won't know what's hit you." Troy promised, his eyes glinting dangerously.

"I guess you won, then." Chad said, pushing Troy off him, allowing them both to rise from the ground.

"I didn't _'win'_ anything." Troy said, his glittering eyes squinting in the fading sunlight, the orange glow highlighting his hair. "All I ever did was love her." He beseeched.

Chad brushed himself down and walked away, turning to smile over his shoulder.

"Look after your girl." He said and disappeared, leaving Troy confused and angry at his appearance.

"Troy?" Gabi asked from behind him, her fingers clinging onto the 6foot high chain link fence that separated them.

He walked over, sighing heavily, placing his hands over hers and linking them through the fence.

"It's okay, he's gone." He said quietly.

"I don't care about him, are you ok?" She asked, eyeing his face, checking for damage.

"Do you know how much I love you?" He asked.

She nodded, feeling it all the way to her toes.

"You lost your best friend for me- you fought for me." She began.

"You're wearing my ring. That means I'd fight every day if I had to." He promised.

She pressed her forehead against the chain link, smiling as he did the same.

"I'm coming round." She said of the fence, meeting him at the exit, encompassed in his strong arms.

"Did your sexy butt win us the competition?" He asked.

Her eyes flicked down, dropping her dark lashes to her cheeks.

His hands rested on her hips, clad in her black shorts which she had teamed with a sparkly vest for the routine.

"We got disqualified because of the fight." She said shyly, her mouth hitched one side as she looked at him.

Even the feel of her curves couldn't abate his shock, his disappointment.

"Fuck!" He swore, letting her go, turning and thrashing his arms around. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"But you know what, I had an idea…You don't need money for dance school…" She began, rubbing her hands together.

"I cannot fucking believe he did that to me!" He yelled.

"Troy, you're kinda scaring me." She frowned.

His blue eyes dashed to hers.

"I'm a fucking idiot." He punished himself as he paced angrily.

"No, listen…" She began again.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" He yelled. This time, she walked up to him and grabbed his forearms, forcing him to lower them as she stared into his angry eyes.

"You're kinda sexy like that." She said to distract him, hoping it would work. His body relaxing against her touch told her it did.

"Yeah?" He questioned, his infectious grin spreading across his face.

"Kinda. In a kinda caveman kinda way…" She tilted her head, catching her lower lip between her teeth.

"Don't suppose cave lady wants to go make-out? Cave man sure has got a lot of energy to work off." He mused.

"Well," she didn't get to finish because he bent his head and buried his lips in her neck, playfully biting her.

"Oh, okay…" She said, pushing at him slightly. "Now?" She asked.

"I could take you right here, the way I'm feeling. That damn look on your face…" He growled, making her giggle.

"Ok, but not here…" She took his hand, not surprised when he dropped it, instead pulling her by the hips into his chest.

"I don't know how long I can wait." He murmured into her ear.

"Quit slowing us down, then." She threw back at him, leading him back to the truck.

"Here?" He asked as she began to undress in his back seat.

"Sure, you're a cave man or whatever, use your imagination…" She teased.

"Wait, Gabi, I…." He was cut off by her kiss.

"I'm not gonna make love with you in the back of my truck." He argued, resisting her even though her hands had pulled off his t-shirt and she was sitting in her bra, about to pepper kisses down his torso.

"Fine I'll just…pleasure you another way." She said as her lips neared his waist band.

"Whoa…" He stopped her intended path, cuddling her to him, covering her back with his discarded tee.

"What? A minute ago you wanted me." She blinked, wide eyed.

"And I still do, just not here- not like this." He re-iterated, tugging his top over her head and climbing into the front of his truck still topless, driving them to his house, helping her down, kissing her while his hand framed her face.

"To the tree house." She guessed with a cute smile and he followed, completely smitten.

They lay together, Gabi tucked into Troy as their breathing regulated, their bodies flashing and buzzing in the aftermath of their urgent joining.

"Are you still doing the Cheer-thingy?" Troy asked lazily, playing with her curls.

She nodded against his chest.

"Yeah. West High can still enter the Cheer-Off even though we didn't get through for the semi's." She explained.

"That's cool." He commented. "So you're packing up to come with us this weekend then?"

"Yeah but my mom is coming too- as chaperone." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh that sucks." He joked and she swiped him.

"I get to watch you be all…basketball captainy." She said.

"Basketball captainy? What _is_ that?" He wondered.

"Sexy." She defined.

He nodded, his chin touching her hair. "Okay, I'm good with that."

"You know, I can teach you how to dance, Troy. All those dances you would have learnt on the course?" She asked, hitching herself up so she could look into his face.

"Rumba and Tango and god knows what…" He mused.

"I know them. I can show you. So it's ok that we didn't win." She explained.

His face suddenly took on realisation.

"That's what you tried to tell me, back there…" He clicked.

She nodded, giggling.

"Only I was too stubborn to hear you- too angry." He added. "Hey, I'm sorry if I scared you." He said then, remembering her words.

"It's ok; I calmed you down in the end." She smiled happily.

"Gabriella Montez, did you use me for sex?" He wondered.

"No!" She objected. "I just used it to distract you, is all." She added cheekily.

"Oh my god, you did. You totally did." He said, shocked.

"I'm not gonna be sorry." She warned.

"I have the most amazing girl." He slowly grinned.

She shrugged. "That may be true."

"Well she definitely has the most amazing…" He began.

"Troy!" she interrupted him.

He smiled into her face. "…brown eyes I ever saw." He finished softly, nuzzling her nose before he kissed her sweetly.

"I love you, Troy Bolton." She declared, rolling out of his embrace to stand, covering her body with her arms as he appreciated her nakedness in the dusky light seeping through the tree house window.

"Well in that case, I gotta love you too or I'm a dead man…" He teased and she threw him a smiling squint, coming back over to straddle him and pin his wrists down.

"Don't get on the wrong side of a Montez girl." She warned lightly.

"Oh I know, or I might end up losing my balls or something…" He said knowingly and she widened her eyes.

"You found out?" She gasped.

He nodded, chuckling. Chad may have turned up out of the blue to have one last try at splitting them up, but Troy had found out that Gabi had injured him far more permanently.

"You better be nice to me then…" She suggested, wriggling on his lap.

"Nice? Oh I'm always nice.." He teased back, capturing her mouth for a kiss as they continued to play in his tree house.


	16. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

"Wanna go for a swim?" Troy asked into Gabi's ear, wrapping her against his body.

They were at the hotel, booked in for the weekend of basketball and cheerleading. Julia had left them to their own devices whilst the 'adults' went for dinner.

"I'm not a water baby" She scrunched her face up.

"Come on, we're all sneaking into the pool…" He grinned as he turned her, taking her hands in his.

She rolled her eyes.

"You just want to see me in my bikini." Her brow arched knowingly.

"Well if you must know, all the guys are bringing their girls and there's a wager on whose girl has the best bikini." He whispered conspiratorially.

"Best body more like." She said flatly.

He shrugged. "That too, I guess."

She smiled, knowing she could win it hands down.

"And you wanna show off your girlfriend's ass." She said knowingly.

"We could win a hundred dollars…" He enticed.

Her brows lifted. "Wow…and what would you propose we use the money for?"

He guessed this was some kind of test. To prove to her it was worth flashing her assets for. To show he cared about her for more than her good looks.

"Take you shopping of course." He smiled a little smile.

"Good answer, boyfriend. Give me five minutes." She winked and disappeared.

Clad in a halter neck snakeskin print bikini, wedge sandals and covered in a Wildcats t-shirt, Troy smiled as he took Gabi's hand and led her down towards the pool.

He was wearing his favourite board shorts and carried their towels.

He looked back on her, casting a look down her body, at his ring that dangled at her chest and the large hoops in her ears. Bangles decorated her wrist. He'd never seen anyone rock swimwear like that. And the heels just accentuated the feminine curve of her slim, curvy legs.

"Can we forgot this whole thing and go make out?" He murmured outside the pool door.

"No! You got me down here to flaunt my ass, now let me do my job." She argued.

He stopped her where she went to go ahead of him; their hands still linked which he pulled her back by.

"I'm not sure I want everyone seeing your ass, I changed my mind." He bit his lip.

"Tough." She said simply and strutted into the pool room, getting several wolf whistles from the boys already in the pool.

Troy closed his eyes and followed, nodding to his team-mates in greeting.

"Ah, Gabi?" Troy whispered, stood over her as she lay out on a sun lounger, despite it being night time.

"Yes Troy?" She purred, reaching out to stroke his thigh.

"You…coming for a swim?" He asked nervously.

"Mmm, maybe in a moment, just let me get organised." She said and he smiled wanly, sitting at the edge of the pool as every other male looked toward her.

The door opened again and a bunch of giggling girls came through and the boys turned their attention to them.

Troy noticed they all looked nice, but nowhere near as good as Gabi.

"Bolton, that is one hot piece of…" A guy from the Albuquerque Arrows said, watching as Gabi got up and stretched, revealing her perfect backside to the pool of admirers.

Troy nodded, swallowing. Was this really _his_ idea?

"Yeah, she's amazing…" He smiled softly, a million miles away.

The room of teenagers stared in utter awe as Gabi stripped off his Wildcats tee, bearing her entire curvy body to the astounded basketball players in the pool.

"She wears your team t-shirt, dude." Max stated. "She's not even a Wildcat…"

"I bet she is in bed." Came another voice and another Arrow joined them, frolicking in the water with a girl who seemed oblivious to his comment.

"Hey, she's still my girl." Troy pointed out lightly, secretly proud of Gabi even if he was having a hard time with all the attention aimed at her.

"Troy? Help me down?" She begged sweetly from beside him and he hopped up, escorting her by the hand to the steps of the pool, walking her into the warm water.

She wrapped her arms round his neck as he walked backwards and she smiled up into his face.

"How am I doing?" She murmured into his ear.

"How are you doing? Jesus, Gabi, you're killing me here." He chuckled.

He gently touched her waist, holding her afloat.

"Kiss!" Some of the boys jeered, chanting at them as they faced each other, smiling.

"Go on then, Bolton. Make my day." She challenged.

He tilted his head and brushed his lips against hers, feeling her hands wind into his hair and deepen their kiss, wrapping her legs around his waist as he pulled her close.

They pulled back to the sound of cheering.

"Wow, Bolton, that is one hell of a way to greet your woman!" One of the Arrows slapped him on the shoulder as Gabi climbed from his body, struggling awkwardly to the side of the pool.

He watched her strike up conversation with one of the other girls and they leaned back on the bar, kicking their legs out.

"She is so gonna win." Max said to him and Troy grinned.

"What in the heck does she see in me?" He wondered quietly to himself.

--

Meanwhile, Gabi was embroiled in setting up a room swap so intricate, so complicated, it would have taken and army general to set it up. She and Brenda were calculating partners and who would have to swap with whom to enable them all to share with their boyfriends.

Unfortunately, the fact Gabi was not a Wildcat was not helping. There were no spare Bears to swap her or her room mate with.

She sighed, lightly kicking her legs as she watched Troy play water volleyball with the boys.

"Why'd I have to go and fall for a Wildcat?" She wondered.

"You're lucky." Brenda smiled. "I'm going out with Ben and he's nowhere near as cool as Troy." She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess Troy is kinda cool." Gabi agreed, proudly.

"That kiss. Oh my god. I would die if Ben could kiss like that."

Gabi beamed. "We've had a lot of practise." She admitted.

"So is it true?" Brenda arched a brow.

"Is what true?" Gabi wondered if his prowess in bed had reached as far as the Arrow team.

"He...he's you know…well endowed." She mouthed.

Gabi hid her smile, biting her lip. How on earth did these rumours start? She trusted that Troy was truthful about being a virgin before her, but there were too many rumours for her to think there wasn't something she was missing.

"Where did you hear that?" Gabi asked back, shocked.

"From the boys. The showers…" She explained.

Gabi nodded, meeting her gaze shyly. What she said now could end up being repeated far and wide. Did she want everyone to know those details about her boyfriend?

She figured if he was willing to bet on her ass then he could put up with a little rumour or two.

"So…" Brenda elbowed her.

"I never had reason to complain." She smiled back, winking.

"Oh my god, it's true!" Brenda squealed and Gabi's eyes widened.

"Shh!" She teased.

"Yo, Ebony!" She proceeded to yell across the pool much to Gabi's dismay.

"All bets are off, we have a winner!" Brenda called, splashing out of the pool as Gabi floated, kind of stuck. Her swimming was not the best and she was trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

"Help?" She called weakly and a boy appeared at her side.

"Want a hand?" He offered and Gabi nodded, taking his arm as he escorted her to the side.

"Thank you." She said warmly, twisting the water from her hair, opening her eyes to find five pairs of eyes clinging to her as surely as the water.

"You told them?!" Troy whispered urgently in her ear, wrapping her in a towel.

She closed her eyes, realising now all the girls had also been placing bets- on who was the most endowed.

"You wanted to play this game, Bolton." She flicked her eyes up. "At least it's a compliment."

He had several pairs of eyes trying to trace his manhood under his board shorts and she thought this was good? He smiled inanely, rubbing his forehead.

"Here's your cut, Gabi." Brenda said, handing her a wad of dollars. "Lucky you." She added, shaking her head as her eyes went down Troy's body.

Gabi smiled, thanking her.

"Wow, I am lucky. I get paid to have a hot boyfriend." She grinned gleefully to herself.

"Why do you have to look so damn happy?" He mock-complained, crowding her with his body.

"Because you brought me here to show me off and now you have a taste of your own medicine!" She pointed out, placing her hands on his chest all the same.

"I wish I could remind you how beautiful you are, later tonight." He smiled back, kissing her.

"Whoa! Hold back the PDA!" Max complained as the boys climbed from the pool.

Troy grinned over his shoulder, sitting on the lounger and pulling Gabi into his lap where she sat, arms around his neck, playing with his hair.

"I think the girls should do a catwalk." One of the Arrows, Gordon suggested.

"Oh pur-lease." Gabi rolled her eyes.

"Yeah!" Brenda and the others twittered excitedly, obviously seeing this as their chance to win the bikini contest.

"Gabi?" Brenda asked and Gabi remained motionless in Troy's arms.

He nuzzled her ear. "You don't have to, babe."

"I would love to!" She faked, getting up, joining the girls who applied last-minute make up as one of the boys set his phone up and put on some music. The group of them crowded onto two sun loungers, waiting for the girls to start walking up and down the pool.

Gabi bit her lip to stifle a giggle as she watched the girls completely fawn over their boys, each taking turns to pick out their man and kiss him, or touch him somehow to gain brownie points from the rest of the boys.

Gabi had no idea how she was meant to compete with these girls- they were obviously professionals.

She rose from her seat, venturing out with a slow, sexy wiggle, using her towel to tease them to the view of her body, dropping it completely as she arched and jiggled, her butt bouncing to the music as she shook her hips.

She looked over her shoulder, biting her lip, squinting as if looking for something then pointed to Troy, his face an absolute picture as she strutted over, twisting down to the floor, her hand holding up her hair as she pouted, finally placing one knee between his on the lounger and leaning in, brushing her hands into his hair, kissing his lips, just as soon turning and strutting away, finishing with one more twist to the floor, pushing her backside out as she rose up, bopping to the music still as she high-fived the girls, jigging with them in their posse as the next girl went up.

Gabi had never seen anything like Troy's face in her life, he looked so cute. Stunned and astounded at her show.

--

Troy watched as Gabi whispered to her new friend and wondered what she was cooking up this time. Finally the catwalk show finished and he was re-united with her, a hundred dollars richer.

He beamed at her, taking her hand.

"I knew you could do it!" He complimented.

"Why, thank you." She smiled bemusedly.

"Come onnn…" He said, goading her.

"Okay, I went the extra mile, just for you." She sighed.

"Hey," he pulled on her hand, bringing her gaze up. "Are you okay? Did I make you feel uncomfortable?" He checked.

"No…I'm good. I made some nice friends" She admitted. "I'm just tired…"

"Well, you can go back to your room and sleep now…" He kissed her knuckles, checking her face.

She was clutching his t-shirt around her, fiddling with the material.

"Actually I kinda wangled it so I can bunk in with you…" She hedged.

"Wow…beautiful and clever." He beamed, leaning to kiss her hair.

"I'll just grab my stuff." She said and vanished, meeting him back outside with her bag, glad her mum was off with the parents and unknowing to this little plan.

Back at his room, Troy led Gabi through the door, seeing two single beds and a sofa, smiling as she headed straight for the seat, curling up her legs beneath her.

"Bliss." She sighed.

"You looked gorgeous tonight." He nuzzled her neck as he sat next to her.

"Yeah." She agreed vacantly, inching away from him.

"What's up?" He asked.

She smiled faintly, rubbing her brow.

"I just need to have a shower, wash off those looks." She got up and headed for the shower, Troy left confused by her actions.

He could have sworn she loved every minute of her show. She seemed like a natural performer, up there, showcasing herself. He wondered if maybe her past was haunting her. Maybe the night she was attacked was playing on her mind.

After his shower, he came out and found her curled asleep on the sofa in his t-shirt and her knickers.

Gently lifting her onto her bed, he covered her over, kissing her curls, touching her cheek.

"Sweet dreams, beautiful" He murmured with a small frown, climbing into his own bed.


	17. Chapter 17

Hey Thanks for your reviews!!!

I forgot to say it's almost at the end, the next chapter is the last ;)

I have some other bits to post so start voting – one shot or long story next??

**CHAPTER 17**

It was dark, it was the middle of the night and Gabi wondered where Troy was because she was alone in bed.

She frowned, realising he must have brought her there and she looked over, seeing his body rise and fall with his sleeping breaths.

He must have thought she was annoyed with him after the swimming pool contest and left her alone.

She climbed from her bed, lifting his covers to snuggle in with him, smiling as he held the cover up while she got comfy, then wrapping it round her, his arm pinning it in place across her body.

"I'm sorry I did that to you." He husked.

"It's ok, Troy" she assured, her hands going to his chest. "I liked making you proud."

"Wanna tell me what's up?" He asked gently.

"Sometimes…sometimes I just like this. Just sleeping, just…just talking." She said softly.

"So do I, oh my god, the night you stayed after I got into the fight with Chad. That was like heaven for me." He assured her, holding her tightly the best he could in the small bed.

"I know it's not just physical for you, but sometimes I wonder…I wonder if I didn't look like this, if I didn't dress like this…" She let out a sigh.

"Gabi, I love you. Every part of you. No matter what you look like." He added, crushing her into his body now, wondering why she was feeling like this.

"Even if I couldn't win a bikini competition?" She tested.

"Hey, have I done something to upset you? Do you wish I hadn't taken you today?" He wondered.

"No! No, that's not it." She denied sharply. "I had fun, I really did. I just wish sometimes people could see more. That I could _be _more."

"You are the most beautiful, smart, funny girl I could ever hope to meet." He enthused. "And I'm not gonna let go until you believe it. Until you forgive me." He sighed out against her hair.

"I told you, there's nothing to forgive. I'm just tired. I love you." She murmured, falling asleep against him where he kicked himself for making her feel this way.

--

Cheer shorts, white vest and Troy's white hoodie.

Gabi smiled at her outfit, tying the hoodie at her waist and adding some red lipstick as she got ready for the day ahead.

They had Cheer practice for four hours and Troy's first game started at 3'oclock, leaving her time to shower and change in between.

"Hey, how's my girl?" He asked from the bed, sitting up, sleepily rubbing his eye as his hair sprang up messily.

A loud knock sounded on the door, startling them both.

"Game's up!" Someone called. "Open up, everyone is grounded."

Gabi rolled her eyes, throwing Troy a look, then trekking to the door.

"Miss. Montez." The chaperone said, she recognised them as Helen's mum.

"Yes." She smiled brightly.

"You are not permitted to sleep with the boys, remember?" She asked tiredly, taking her away from Troy as he sat in bed, dumbfounded.

He sank back down, covering his face with his arm.

--

"Go Wildcat!" Gabi shouted from the crowd, now changed into hot pants and Troy's red tee.

"Are you really gonna sit there and cheer on the Wildcats?" Brenda asked in surprise.

Gabi frowned.

"No. Just my Wildcat." She amended with a little purse of her lips.

Troy jogged out for warm up and Gabi felt like running down and hugging him, she loved him in his basketball kit. He always looked so mean and moody and when he got sweaty, his arms just stood out, reminding her of his muscles.

He threw a quick wave at her and she smiled, waving back.

"Win big." She wished quietly.

The final buzzer went and the whole crowd roared with delight, Wildcats were through!

Gabi ran down from the stands, looking for Troy, a little lost amongst a sea of tall players and cheerleader's pom poms.

"We did it!!!!!!!!!!!" He shouted, scooping her up, twirling her around.

"I'm so proud of you!" Gabi said back, smiling, laughing with him as his sweat wetted her.

"Man I must reek…" He said, letting her down.

She stroked his fringe back. "I must be crazy to date a player." She teased.

He hugged her again, pulled away by his team mates as they covered him in water and she stood, smiling from the sideline.

--

"I love it when you wear my t-shirt." Troy said, sitting next to Gabi as she leaned over her books on the sofa in the hotel lounge.

"Well, I am the ever-dutiful girlfriend." She allowed, rationing him a small kiss.

"My studying girlfriend?" He asked.

"Mm? Oh, I'm just checking out the competition." She smiled, laying her book down, facing him.

"So we're grounded tonight…" He rolled his eyes.

She placed her hand in his. "It's good to have time apart." She said lightly.

His smile dropped, trying to read her face.

"Is it?" He asked worriedly. Maybe he was crowding her, coming on too strong?

"Well you would have had three weeks away for your dance thing." She managed a fake smile, dropping her eyes from his.

"Do you wanna break up?" He feared.

Her eyes were wide. "No! Oh my god, no." She assured.

"Then I did something wrong because you've hated me ever since we went swimming…" He reasoned.

"No, not hated you. I could never _hate_ you." She scoffed. "Just…don't know how to tell you…" she hedged.

"Tell me what?" He asked, sitting forward, seeing her frown appear.

"I promised I would help you dance, Troy and I will. But first I have to go to my dad's for a few weeks of the summer break. Apparently he wants to see me." She pressed her lips together in annoyance.

"Oh wow. Where does he live?" He wondered.

"Indianapolis." She stated, sighing. "And I was just starting to feel like I belonged, like everything was fitting into place."

He held out his other hand to her, palm up. Instead of placing her hand directly into his, she tickled the pads of his fingers with hers, smiling faintly.

"You belong with me." He said, predictably. "We fit, right?" He checked

She nodded, her eyes watering but she didn't cry.

"We do." She confirmed, taking his hands and holding them to her chest. "We fit real well."

"Then you don't have to worry. You always have me." He added, touching her ring.

A tear streaked down her cheek and he felt his heart break.

"Oh, come here, babe." He whispered, pulling her against his chest as she fought her tears, clutching his arm as he held her sideways to his body.

"I promised I wouldn't do this!" She told herself.

"What, cry?" He said, half a chuckle coming out. "It's okay, you know."

"I wasn't supposed to do this. I wasn't supposed to let anyone in." She argued and although his gut ached with her pain, he had to smile at her words.

He pressed his lips to her hair, too awed to speak at first.

"I know, it's kinda scary, huh?" He asked softly, holding her.

She nodded against his body.

"I don't like it." She sulked and he actually laughed this time, holding her tighter, wishing his arms could comfort her.

"You don't? Wow, I am sorry to hear that. I kinda hoped I made you happy." He teased, kissing her hair again.

She turned in his arms, throwing her arms around his neck where he held her once more against his chest.

"Will you miss me?" She ventured as she pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"Will I miss you?" He repeated with an amused smile, as though she were joking. "Damn, you don't know how much." He assured.

"You're just saying that 'cos you're gonna miss my ass." She said sulkily, her brown eyes lifting to his.

"I'm saying that because I'm gonna miss all of you, beautiful." He replied, touching her face. "Maybe your ass the most but…" He grinned as she slapped him playfully on the arm.

"I'm gonna miss you." He said again, seriously, his blue eyes intent and trapping her gaze.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Troyby." She returned.

More than she had ever missed anyone before, she added silently as she let him hold her for just a little longer.


	18. Chapter 18

Hey people!

Thanks for reading my story and even more thanks for reviewing it- you know every word counts ;)

Here is the last chapter but you may be pleased to know, this story isn't over…

Please vote for the next post:

One shot: Office Hate

or

Long story: Hiding

I'm not giving any more away!

Ang

**CHAPTER 18**

"Best Cheer Team is….the Amazing Arrows!" The announcer confirmed and Troy stood up, a soft 'no!' leaving his lips as he saw the disappointment hit Gabi's face, causing her smile to falter.

He dug his hands into his pockets, descending the steps to get to her, to hug her and tell her it was ok.

"Best Choreography….Gabriella Montez for the Beary Beauties!" The announcer continued and he saw her face split into a huge grin and she squealed, running to collect her award.

"That's my girl!" He said to himself, jogging down onto the floor to congratulate her along with all her other friends.

"You are amazing!" He said, hugging her as she threw herself at him, her legs pinning around his waist as she kissed him hotly, distractedly letting someone else take her trophy while she concentrated on the feel of Troy's lips against hers, his body against hers.

"I'm gonna miss this." She smiled, stroking his hair as he supported her.

"Me too, beautiful." He admitted and she kissed him again, rousing a loud groan from the group of well-wishers.

"Put him down for five minutes, Gabi!" Brenda complained and hugged Gabi as she returned to the floor, a sheepish Troy studying her prize as it was handed to him.

"Wow, awesome trophy." He grinned at the girl who had handed it to him.

"She deserves it." She said shyly.

"I'm Troy by the way…" He held out his hand.

"Kelsey." The girl returned, shaking his hand.

He nodded. "It's good to meet Gabi's friends. This year has kinda sucked." He mused.

"It's good to meet the guy we hear so much about. You know, we didn't like you for a while." She shared with a small smile.

"Oh?" He questioned, smiling unconsciously as Gabi threw some dance moves in her celebration and he watched her lovingly.

"Yeah, we weren't sure what you and Gabi were about. But now I can see." She nodded knowingly.

"You can?" He pitched a brow up, unable to rip his gaze from his girlfriend as she continued to hot-step with her friends.

"You're totally whipped." She guessed, bringing his gaze back to hers quickly.

He blinked a few times before a slow grin curled onto his face.

"You may well be right there, Kelsey." He agreed amiably. "How does a guy get unwhipped?" He wondered.

She shrugged.

"You kinda picked the wrong girl for that." She suggested.

He chuckled, liking Kelsey's striking insight.

"Yeah. Yeah I think I did. I think I'm destined to be whipped for a long time to come." He pursed his lips.

"Well, if it helps, she's totally ga-ga for you, too." She shared and his eyes shone with affection.

"You think?" He asked.

Kelsey nodded.

"She defended you, when we all went against her." Kelsey offered.

"She did?" He wondered, thinking there was still so much he didn't know about her.

"She told us she had broken her rule but that she still wanted to win the Cheer-Off." Kelsey continued and he wondered why she was telling him all this.

He frowned down at her.

"What rule? The no-boys rule?" He asked.

"Don't fall in love. That was her one rule at the start of the year." Kelsey explained. As if realising she had said too much on his wide-eyed look, she blushed.

"But you knew that, right?" She asked quickly, seeing Gabi coming over.

"Right." He nodded, taking in everything Kelsey had just told him.

"What are you two cooking up standing here whispering?" Gabi asked with interest.

"Psssh, we're not whispering!" He protested. "Kelsey was just saying how amazing you are." He smiled, winking at Kelsey who smiled in relief.

"Why thank you, Kels." Gabi touched her shoulder. "You ready to go celebrate?"

"Hey, where you going?" Troy pined.

"Just for some pizza. You coming?" She checked.

"I gotta go get ready with the guys…" He hedged.

"Aw, okay. Well, I'll be there to cheer you on." She assured.

"Hey…" He husked, pulling her in close to him, taking them back into their private world.

"Hey." She smiled slowly.

"Thank you for breaking your rules for me." He said, touching her nose with his.

She looked at him dubiously. "What did Kelsey tell you?" She wondered.

"Just that you fell in love. With a Wildcat." He shared.

"You knew that." She accused softly.

"It's nice to hear it again." He said.

She kissed him, wriggling to be released from his arms where he sighed, wishing she could stand still for five seconds.

"Love you, boyfriend." She threw at him, being led off by her friends.

"Love you, too!" He called back brightly, cheesily, a hand wave thrown in for good measure that made her giggle.

"Ohhh he is adorable!" Brenda cooed.

Gabi bit her bottom lip with a shy smile.

"He sure is."

--

"Ok I think I'm done!" Gabi announced, parking another luggage bag by the door, placing her hands on her hips as she looked around, spotting Troy sulking on her sofa.

The Wildcats had won the final, a huge Trophy and lots of praise from basketball talent scouts, yet she wouldn't have known that at seeing his dejected form slouching there in her living room.

"It's three weeks, Wildcat, there's no need to look so sad." She chided, pulling him up by the hand and hugging him around the middle.

His arms tightened around her shoulders as his chin touched her head.

"I know, it's cool." He lied.

"You should go off and have fun with the boys. Just no cheerleaders huh?" She teased.

"You're my cheerleader." He stated and she looked up to him, smiling, reaching for a kiss.

"You better text me, boyfriend." She warned, arching her brow.

He nodded, solemnly.

"I will." He promised, helping her out to the car with her bags as her mom came through and gave Gabi a telling look.

"See you soon, Wildcat." She scrunched her nose, kissing him once more.

"Bye bye, beautiful." He returned, holding her for another long moment as he tried to imprint her into his body, not liking that he wouldn't have her small body to cuddle for three whole weeks.

Gabi blew him a kiss as he stood waving cutely and she strapped herself into the car, nervous at what lie ahead.

"I love you." Troy whispered, to himself after the car had pulled away, leaving him standing alone in her drive, wondering if she would miss him as much as he would miss her.

---

She didn't know why, but the tears only started after the first hour into the drive.

She hadn't felt sad saying goodbye to Troy because she knew she would be back, soon enough.

But now it kind of dawned on her exactly how much she would miss him. Inadvertently, along with breaking her one and only rule, she had spent most of her time with Troy and being without him this summer was going to suck, royally.

She wiped her tears away, sniffling as she searched for a tissue.

"Are you okay, Gabi?" Julia asked, flicking a look to her daughter.

She nodded, blowing her nose.

"I'm just gonna miss him, is all." She admitted quietly.

Her mom touched her arm as she drove on and Gabi looked out of the window at the scenery rushing by.

Suddenly three weeks seemed like a lifetime.

---

The End

To be continued….


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